Secretary O Lam proposes books and sports to combat mental health issues

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, proposes that people read more books and watch or participate in sports activities and events to address the growing number of mental illnesses in Macau.

Yesterday, at the Legislative Assembly (AL), while presenting the policy address for 2025 for the sector of Culture and Social Affairs, O Lam said that the government aims to tackle the problem by reinforcing cultural and sports activities.

“Mental health is one of the themes that concern the government. We are trying to promote a more active life to cope with this issue,” she said, adding, “This is work in the long run, and that’s why we have to adopt short, medium, and long-term measures.”

For the time being, the Secretary said the government is focusing on sports and culture, noting that “these are important aspects for good mental health.”

“Watching a game or reading a book helps ease the pressures of daily life that exist and are different for each age group. Reading is also very good at the spiritual level,” O Lam remarked.

“We will reinforce the ‘Sports for All’ [program] and also reinforce bringing culture into the communities. We will also promote more sports in schools.”

The Secretary further explained that the work on promoting healthy lifestyles needs to be started at the base, that is, with young children, noting that it also reaches the parents through them.

No other policies or strategies were presented aiming to tackle the growing suicide rates, as mentioned by lawmaker Lo Choi In, which is affecting youngsters as young as 11 or 12 years old in Macau.

The same lawmaker questioned how to promote sports if the government is not presenting any new projects for more sports facilities and spaces, both in public spaces and in schools.

In response, the Secretary said that the government aims to promote a better and more efficient use of the existing public sports facilities and hopes that people can also do some sports at home.

From the guidelines of policies drafted in the policy address, the Secretary noted she is paying special attention this year to all activities related to the National Games, which Macau will co-organize, including “Incentivizing schools to hold activities related to the theme of National Games so that the spirit of the games will be deeply rooted in the hearts of the population.”

Among other policies, O Lam noted the holding, this year, of a new Physical Conditioning Evaluation Program for the population and the start of planning for the new sports facilities to be built at Zone A of the new landfills.

In response to the improvement of sports facilities in schools, the director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), Kong Chi Meng, stated that the DSEDJ is continuing with the implementation of the so-called “blue sky project,” which will include the moving of eight school campuses to Zone A of the new landfills, “where they will have better conditions.”

The “blue sky project” was started in 2015 by the former Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, and aims to move all schools operating in podiums of residential buildings in Macau to new locations where they could have campuses with outdoor sports and recreational facilities, among other things.

Gov’t to hire European team to coach young footballers

The government, through the Sports Bureau (ID), is to hire a European team to coach local young footballers. The president of ID, Luis Gomes, unveiled this plan at the AL yesterday during the presentation of the policy address for the sector of Social Affairs and Culture.
Gomes said, “This year, we will try to hire a European team to train our youngsters [in football]. We are also inviting youngsters from the cities of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to hold some matches,” adding that a “Hengqin-Macau Cup” is also in the pipeline as a way to promote sports among the youth.
In early February this year, the Hong Kong branch of the French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) organized a Macau Youth GBA Tournament at Macau Workers Stadium.
At the time, organizers were willing to continue deepening cooperation with Macau and the GBA in young football coaching.