Jointly presented by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government and the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, the Guangzhou Secretariat of City Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination and ICOMOS China, and co-organized by the University of Macau and the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, the “Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Forum” was inaugurated on 16 November, at the Convention Center of the Macao Science Center. Centered around the theme of “Conservation and sustainable development of the cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Road”, the Forum has the participation of a number of experts and scholars from Mainland China, Macao, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, who were invited to present their research results and deliver speeches.
The opening ceremony was held at 10am on the same day and was officiated by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ao Ieong U; the Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Guan Qiang; the Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Wang Dong; the Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Wan Sucheng; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Leong Wai Man; and the Vice President of the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, Li Li.
The Forum is held both online and in-person, and is attended by various important representatives, namely, the Deputy Director of the Centre of China’s World Cultural Heritage of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage and the Head of the Secretariat of the ICOMOS China, Chinese National Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites, Yan Haiming; the President of the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Fanny Vong; the Librarian of the University of Macau Library, Wu Jianzhong; the Advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Lo Hou Chi; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheong Lai San; the delegations of the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, ICOMOS China and the City Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination, members of the Cultural Heritage Committee, the Cultural Development Consultative Committee and the Urban Planning Committee, as well as representatives of higher education institutions, among others.
In the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ao Ieong U, referred in her speech that the conservation of the cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Road and its nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List is, not only a significant cultural measure around the “One Belt and One Road” initiative, but also represented a major step towards facilitating the cultural consolidation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The cultural heritage protection works related to the Maritime Silk Road are now in a crucial phase. Macao will continue to strengthen the cooperation with members of the Cities Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination, leveraging Macao’s role as “One Centre, One Platform and One Base”, while facilitating the nomination of the Maritime Silk Road for the UNESCO World Heritage List. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the hosting of this Cultural Forum in Macao, is of particularly great significance, showcasing not only the Country’s attachment of high importance and solemn commitment to the Convention, but also the Country’s affirmative support for the development of Macao’s cultural industries and the fulfilment of the role of Macao as an international cultural exchange platform.
The Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, made an address at the opening ceremony and the Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Guan Qiang, delivered a keynote presentation entitled “50th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage – World Heritage in China”. There was also a performance of Portuguese folkloric dance at the venue, noting that this is an item that is part of Macao’s intangible cultural heritage list and one that has Macao’s cultural characteristics.
On the first day of the Forum, several experts and scholars, including the Vice President of the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, Li Li, the Senior World Heritage Advisor of ICOMOS, Susan Denyer, the Professor of Shandong University, Jiang Bo, and the Programme Specialist and Chief of Culture Unit of the UNESCO Cluster in Beijing, Duong Bich Hanh, exchanged views on various topics, such as: “Conservation and sustainable development of the cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Road”, “Historical and archaeological research of the Maritime Silk Road and its definition in the scope of space and time”, and “International exchange and cooperation on the conservation and management of the cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Road”.
This Cultural Forum presents an important contribution towards a better understanding, by participants and residents alike, about the value of the latest research results regarding the conservation of the cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Road, also enabling further exchanges and cooperation among the different regions along the old Maritime Silk Road.
The Forum will continue tomorrow morning (17 November) at the Convention Center of the Macao Science Center, with simultaneous translation provided in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English. In the afternoon of the same day, there will be two sessions at the same time, taking place at the University of Macau and the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies respectively, with simultaneous translation provided in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. In all venues there will be a portion of seats for the public to attend, requiring prior registration. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis, following respective waiting lists. A livestream of the event will also be available online.
For more information, please visit the Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Forum website (www.culturalheritage.mo/MSRICF/2022).