A reflection on sport as a long-term strategy to promote people-to-people exchanges, economic development and international cooperation
Commentary by Manuel Silvério
Independent sports analyst and consultant in regional development
(Former public sector executive with international experience and a longstanding commitment to public policy and sports development)
Macau is currently experiencing a decisive period of profound transformation and strategic repositioning. Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the continued implementation of the strategy for appropriate economic diversification, this world-renowned city is actively seeking new pathways for the future.
Given that June is the month when Portugal Day, Camões Day and Portuguese Communities Day are celebrated, it is important to revisit Macau’s multicultural identity not merely as a historical legacy, but as a strategic asset of singular value. This dimension should also find expression in the Third Five-Year Development Plan of the Macao Special Administrative Region (2026–2030), leveraging Macau’s unique advantages while actively aligning with national development strategies and promoting high-quality development across various sectors.
Almost 20 years after the inaugural Lusofonia Games were held in October 2006, I believe that Macau is once again in a position to play a key role: hosting the Lusofonia Games on a regular basis, on a two- or three-year cycle, transforming this event into a renewed platform serving Macau’s development.
This is not merely a proposal within the field of sport. Rather, it represents an integrated vision of how sporting exchanges among Portuguese-speaking countries and regions can contribute to Macau’s economic development, talent cultivation and enhanced international cooperation.
Strategic alignment for a new phase of development
The Lusofonia Games were created in 2004 by the Association of Portuguese-Speaking Olympic Committees (ACOLOP) as a multi-sport event held every three years, involving countries and regions where Portuguese is an official or reference language.
Macau hosted the first edition in 2006, bringing together 730 athletes from 11 countries and regions during nine days of competition. Subsequent editions took place in Lisbon and Goa, before the event was suspended for various reasons.
Today, the proposal to revive these Games in Macau is strongly aligned with the development priorities of both the country and the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR).
President Xi Jinping has emphasised that Macau should fully capitalise on its advantages as a meeting point between Eastern and Western cultures, promoting international people-to-people exchanges and dialogue among civilisations. In this context, hosting major sporting events represents a concrete response to this vision and constitutes one of the most effective forms of soft diplomacy.
If the economy brings markets closer together, sport and culture bring people closer together.
At the same time, the alignment between the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the MSAR’s Third Five-Year Plan reinforces the importance of Macau deepening its external engagement and consolidating its role as a Sino-Lusophone platform. The Lusofonia Games can become a tangible expression of this unique vocation.
Five strategic directions for Macau
I believe that this proposal can be built upon five complementary pillars:
Economic development
Innovation and Macau-Hengqin cooperation
Talent development and education
Social cohesion and Macau’s identity
Lusophone platform and international cooperation
Sport as a strategic industry
Future editions of the Lusofonia Games do not need to replicate in full the model adopted in 2006.
A more focused format, prioritising sports with greater public appeal and media impact – such as football, basketball, futsal and selected indoor sports – would optimise resources, reduce operational costs and improve economic efficiency.
This model could also generate new opportunities for the sports economy, namely through:
sports tourism;
MICE activities (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions);
trade fairs and exhibitions related to the sports industry;
business meetings and B2B platforms;
attracting international brands and sponsors.
The recent visit of Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai to Europe, in conjunction with various exchange initiatives, business meetings and exhibitions, demonstrates that major events can create new opportunities for international cooperation and benefit a range of local economic sectors.
Sport would therefore cease to be viewed solely as public expenditure and could progressively establish itself as an active component of the “1+4” strategy for appropriate economic diversification.
From a financial perspective, a diversified model could be adopted, combining public investment, the participation of the six integrated tourism and leisure concessionaires through their social responsibility commitments and support for economic diversification, sponsorship from Lusophone countries, and revenues generated through broadcasting rights and sports tourism.
Macau-Hengqin – and innovation applied to sport
The integration between Macau and Hengqin can open new perspectives for the development of the Lusofonia Games.
Modern major sporting events increasingly depend on technologies related to data analytics, telecommunications, biomedical engineering and innovation applied to high performance.
The regular staging of the Games could attract companies and start-ups linked to SportsTech, using the Macau-Hengqin ecosystem as a platform for research, testing and the implementation of innovative solutions.
Hengqin could also play complementary roles by hosting training centres, practice facilities, academic programmes and economic activities related to the sports industry.
Several leading Chinese technology and innovation companies have already established operations in Hengqin. More projects are needed to demonstrate, in a visible way, the achievements and opportunities available within this territory.
Through this model of cooperation, it would be possible to deepen Macau-Hengqin integration and encourage an increasing number of enterprises to invest and develop within the region.
Developing talent for the future
The Lusofonia Games could also become an important platform for developing specialised human resources.
In conjunction with major projects linked to the future Macao–Hengqin International Education (University) Town, local higher education institutions could strengthen cooperation with universities from Lusophone countries by developing exchange programmes, internships and joint training initiatives in sports management, international event organisation, sports marketing, sports medicine and sports sciences.
At the same time, volunteering associated with major sporting events contributes to the development of organisational skills, intercultural communication and language competencies among young people.
As occurred in 2006, when more than 10,000 professionals and volunteers from different sectors worked together to present the best image of Macau, sport can reinforce civic participation and a sense of collective mission, helping to nurture a new generation of residents with a stronger sense of social responsibility, belonging and an international outlook.
In the current context marked by the increasing digitalisation of society, face-to-face participation and teamwork promoted through sport also constitute important factors for the physical and mental well-being of young people.
Sport, social cohesion and multicultural identity
One of Macau’s greatest strengths lies in its unique cultural diversity.
During the 2006 Lusofonia Games, ethnic Chinese, Macanese, Portuguese and residents of other ethnic backgrounds actively participated in organising and welcoming delegations, demonstrating the inclusive and cohesive nature of local society.
In an increasingly complex international environment, marked by tensions and cultural misunderstandings, sport offers a universal language capable of overcoming linguistic and institutional barriers.
The regular organisation of the Games could strengthen social cohesion, reinforce the sense of belonging and increase residents’ pride in Macau’s multicultural identity.
More than simply a sporting event, the Games can serve as a platform for mutual trust, intercultural understanding and deeper human connections.
The spirit of the Lusofonia Games reflects Macau’s traditional values: harmony, inclusiveness and coexistence among different cultures.
The hosting of the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting by Macau last month also constitutes a clear demonstration of the Central People’s Government’s confidence in the organisational capacity of the MSAR and its role as an international platform.
The Lusophone platform as a strategic advantage
While Forum Macao promotes economic and trade cooperation among governments and institutions, the Lusofonia Games have the potential to bring people closer together.
Through the regular organisation of these Games, Macau could strengthen its role as a platform for people-to-people exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, promoting cooperation in sport, education, culture, tourism and business.
These exchanges would contribute not only to deepening traditional relationships with Lusophone countries but also to creating new opportunities for young people, businesses and specialised institutions.
The Lusophone world should not be regarded merely as a historical legacy, but rather as a strategic asset for Macau’s contemporary development.
Sport, as a universal and unifying language, can strengthen Macau’s international profile and enhance its regional and global visibility.
The Games could also provide athletes, coaches, sports administrators and official representatives from different countries and regions with the opportunity to experience Macau directly and understand the principle of “One Country, Two Systems”, using Hengqin as a starting point for gaining a better understanding of the reality of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) founded upon peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness and security.
Consolidating Macau as a Sino-Lusophone bridge
If Macau succeeds in organising the Lusofonia Games on a regular basis in a sustainable manner adapted to its specific characteristics, it will be building its own model of development, in which sport, the Lusophone platform and international cooperation become effective instruments for economic growth, talent development and social stability.
This is not merely about organising an international sporting event.
It is about putting into practice Macau’s advantages as a city supported by the Motherland and connected to the world.
Thanks to its unique history, cultural diversity and role as a Sino-Lusophone platform, Macau possesses exceptional conditions to serve as a bridge between different civilisations and to promote common development.
The Lusophone market has tangible relevance.
The spirit of sport transcends borders.
And Macau continues to possess the unique ability to bring cultures together, connect people and create opportunities.
What is required now is the courage to assume responsibility, to dare to innovate and to take this decisive step towards Macau’s future.
N.B. Lusofonia (Lusophony in English) refers to the global community of Portuguese-speaking people, nations, and cultures. The term encompasses both the shared linguistic identity and the cultural, political, and economic ties between these areas. The name comes from Lusitania, the ancient Roman province that covered most of modern-day Portugal. – Gemini, MPD
