DIASPORA | Associations form International Macanese Alliance

Macanese associations in Canada, the United States, Macau and Portugal have recently gathered in Toronto to establish the International Macanese Alliance (IMA).
In founding a new organization, the Macanese associations are looking to build deeper relationships between Macau and Macanese communities living abroad.
Roy Xavier, a scholar from the University of Berkeley in California, is due to be appointed president of the group. He told Tribuna de Macau that some of these associations have not been accredited by the Council for Macanese Communities. Therefore, IMA is looking to develop projects that have never had the support of the Council. He added that this organization has remained “virtually isolated” from the Macanese diaspora.
Xavier revealed that IMA intends to further develop partnership opportunities between cultural, commercial, academic, and governmental institutions and the Macanese diaspora living across the globe.
In addition, they are hoping to work on international projects that could benefit Macanese communities living in different parts of the world. A historical archive of the Macanese community is just one of the projects that have already been envisioned.
The archive will be an online platform collecting photos, documents, videos and other materials related to the Macanese community. This initiative is aimed at preserving the history and culture of Macanese communities living in different parts of the world. The associations working on the archive have already submitted a request to the Macau Foundation looking to be granted financial support. Information on the archive is due to be provided in English, Portuguese and Chinese.
Xavier also revealed that the International Macanese Alliance has gathered the support of different personalities in Macau, such as lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho, and the deputy general of the permanent secretariat of Forum Macau, Rita Santos.