Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man told reporters yesterday that due to the fact that in the past the Macau International Parade was always held at the end of the year, when the weather is generally cold and a raft of events organised by different government entities are taking place, the parade, which has been suspended since 2020, has been initially scheduled to take place in the first half of next year.

Therefore, Leong said, the parade will not be held this year, underlining that the bureau has been reviewing and optimising the parade from various aspects, such as adjusting the route and date.

Leong made the remarks on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Macau International Museum Day Carnival at the Convention Centre of the Macau Science Centre in Nape.

Leong said that with the aim of showcasing the characteristics of the city where Chinese and Western cultures converge, the bureau has drafted a plan to extend the parade route into local neighbourhoods, the specific details of which, however, will only be announced later.

When asked about the revitalisation project of Coloane’s Lai Chi Vun Village covering plots X11, X12, X13, X14 and X15 in the area, Leong reaffirmed that the shipyards area was slated to open by the end of next month or early July, adding that the reconstruction of the five plots has been “basically” completed, while follow-up work such as tap water and electricity supply, as well as event recruitment are underway.

Macau Int’l Museum Day Carnival at Macau Science Centre

Meanwhile, in the runup to International Museum Day commemorated every May 18, the annual Macau International Museum Day Carnival themed “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”, co-organised by the city’s 20 museums, took place yesterday at the Macau Science Centre, with a string of activities, including game booths, a dance performance, and workshops on site.

Leong said in a speech during the opening ceremony that as inspirators of knowledge and witnesses of social development, museums play an “essential” role in protecting local culture and promoting sustainable development, adding: “We hope that through the carnival, each and every museum can give full play to its social and education functions and continue to pursue the mission of cultural conservation in the near future”.

According to Leong, the one-day carnival aimed to showcase the best of local museums and attract more residents and tourists, while also enhancing exchanges and interactions between museums in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau to promote the joint development of the museum sector. 

Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man delivers a speech during yesterday’s opening ceremony of the one-day Macau International Museum Day Carnival at the Convention Centre of the Macau Science Centre in Nape. – Photo: Yuki Lei