Macau has been selected as the “Culture City of East Asia 2025,” the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) announced yesterday.
In a statement, the government said that it “had actively prepared and promoted its candidacy for the designation.” An inter-secretariat working group was responsible for the city’s application and preparations. Six finalist cities underwent evaluations, and Macau sent a delegation led by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U to make its final presentation in May.
Macau was chosen over the other five candidates to take the top honor of “Cultural City of East Asia 2025.” This adds to Macau’s international reputation as a metropolis where Eastern and Western cultures converge.
As the winner, Macau will use the designation to enhance its role in China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative. It will develop activity plans under the theme “Encounter of the East with the West and Asian harmony.” Plans include cultural exhibitions, conferences and showcasing intangible cultural heritage. Macau also aims to leverage the selection to improve cultural infrastructure and promote multicultural exchange.
The Culture City of East Asia program is an art and culture event launched by China, Japan, and South Korea. Each year, the three nations will name one or two cities from each country as the Culture Cities of East Asia to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation.
Titles will be awarded at the 15th Conference of Ministers of Culture of China, Japan and South Korea in September in Japan. Staff Reporter
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