Lusofonia Festival to be integrated into ‘Encounter in Macau’

The 24th Lusofonia Festival will be held between December 10 and 12 this year, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) confirmed yesterday.
The festival will be integrated into the 3rd “Encounter in Macau – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, operating from November 11 to December 12, due to the current pandemic situation.
With a budget of 8.9 million patacas, the Arts and Cultural Festival is organized by the IC, and co-organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
The festival showcases China and Portuguese-speaking countries’ diverse cultures, as well as cementing Macau’s position as a “Cultural Exchange Centre between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” — offering residents and tourists a Sino-Portuguese cultural experience.
President of the IC Mok Ian Ian assured listeners at the press conference yesterday that “communication with the associations in the organization of Lusofonia has never failed”. Mok said they are counting on all Lusophone representations in Macau.
“The collaboration between the two festivals was possible due to the stabilized public health situation, and we hope that by organizing the two festivals together will create synergy. That way, we can better streamline the festivals and bring a better artistic environment to the city,” said the president.
For Mok, this set of initiatives demonstrates the characteristics of Macau “as a city that embraces all cultures”.
Mok guaranteed that, if conditions allow, the Lusofonia Festival will once again be autonomous next year.
The Lusofonia Festival is a three-day festival with a diverse activity program, including cultural booths from the local Lusophone communities, music and dance performances, gastronomy and games. It allows the public to gain a Portuguese cultural experience like no other.
The first edition of the Lusofonia Festival was held in 1998 and over the years has become an important event aimed at sharing the culture of the Portuguese-speaking communities with the Chinese community.

Festival’s highlights
The “China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Film Festival”, themed “The Gourmets of Cinema”, will feature 30 films from China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
The “Annual Arts Exhibition between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” features two exhibitions — “Symbiosis” and “Embrace of Diversity,” which will bring together contemporary artworks from Macau, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and eight Portuguese-speaking countries. The festival aism to open a window for the public to experience the diversity of Chinese and Portuguese arts. Moreover, the “Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” will bring a series of passionate and enthusiastic performances to the community. The Dance and Singing Group of Fujian Province and six local Portuguese-speaking artistic groups will feature traditional music and dance performances. The Belt and Road Cultural Talk Series – Samba and Dance; and the Taipa Houses 100th Anniversary Activities will also be celebrated. Staff reporter