Portuguese Minister of Education to represent gov’t in this year’s celebration

The Portuguese Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, will represent the Portuguese government at this year’s ceremonies of “June 10 – Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities,” the Consul-General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong, Alexandre Leitão, unveiled yesterday in a press conference that announced this year’s activity program.

As in previous years, the celebrations extend far beyond June 10 and include a broad range of activities in what organizers previously named “June – Month of Portugal.”

Also, as in previous editions, the extensive program includes exhibitions, concerts, talks, and, of course, Portuguese gastronomy.

Also part of the traditional activities, a reception for the community will be held on June 10. Still, this time it will take place at the Macau Portuguese School (EPM), unlike in previous years, when the traditional reception was held at the Consul-General’s Official Residence in the former Bela Vista Palace.

On the matter, Leitão said that the return of the community reception to the EPM has deep meaning, as the institution integrates the past, present, and future of the Portuguese community in Macau.

Also part of the program is the traditional visit to the Camões Grotto in the Camões Garden, scheduled for the morning of June 10, following the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Consulate-General.

This year’s program includes a total of 37 events starting tomorrow with a photography exhibition from last year’s photo competition of the SOMOS (association) titled “Images of the Lusophone World 2025: The Today of the Past.”

Although not hosting the community reception, the Consul’s Official Residence will be one of the venues for the “June – Month of Portugal,” hosting an Open Day featuring an exhibition of works by local artist Eric Fok.

This exhibition will be hosted similarly to another held earlier this year, which featured the artist Konstantin Bessmertny and used the walls of emblematic spaces of the former Bela Vista Hotel to invite a tour through the building and the artist’s works.

Another highlighted event is the opening of the photo exhibition “The Insider” by photojournalist Eduardo Leal, to be held at Casa Garden on June 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Leal will also host a series of parallel activities in June that include the “Intensive Documentary Photography Workshop ‘From a Single Shot to Visual Narrative,’ to be hosted on June 20 and 21, and a talk between the photographer and the exhibition curator, Julia Lam, titled “Unseen Narratives: The Stories Behind the Stories,” which takes place on June 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Continuing in the program will be the Gastronomic Itinerary – Eat and Drink the Portuguese Way, which will enter its fourth edition this year.

Last year, according to the Consulate-General, this event drew 1,556 participants, more than four times as many as in 2024.

The program, which takes place mostly in June, is set to close on July 3 with a concert by Afonso Cabral.