The Maritime Silk Road was an important route for trade and cultural exchanges with other countries in ancient China. Starting from the 16th century, Macao, with its advantageous geographical location on the southern coast of China, developed into a principal maritime trade port and important hub for exporting Chinese commodities to the world. Chinese silk, porcelain, among other goods, were re-exported via Macao to Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe and even America. As such, Macao played a vital role in the establishment and development of the Maritime Silk Road. It helped to expand the global trade network of the Maritime Silk Road by building a bridge of personnel exchanges and cultural mutual learning opportunities between East and West, which is still nowadays contributing towards the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative in the 21st century, while laying a solid foundation for future cooperation between different nations.

As a melting pot of different cultures for more than 400 years, Macao boasts a unique history and culture that has shaped its colourful urban landscape. The Macao SAR Government attaches great importance to heritage conservation, inheritance, cultural development and innovation. The envisioned Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area defines the development of Macao as “a base for exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream alongside the co-existence of diverse cultures”. As such, the Macao SAR Government will further leverage the advantages of Macao as an international platform for cultural exchange, continuing to strengthen the principal role of Chinese culture in MSAR and strive to preserve and showcase the city’s cultural diversity. We hope to better fulfill the mission of promoting international cultural exchanges, by seizing the development opportunities of the country in the new era, by enriching all forms of cultural development, taking advantage of the development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, with relevant new centers and spaces to serve for further arts and cultural development.

Nowadays, the remnants of the prosperity of the former Maritime Silk Road are still clearly visible in Macao’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As an important hub on the old Maritime Silk Road, Macao presents very important evidence about the historical and cultural value of the Maritime Silk Road heritage. Since joining the Cities Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination in 2019, the Macao SAR Government has actively carried out fruitful works on the protection and research, display and utilisation, monitoring and management, publicity and promotion, as well as cooperation and exchanges in relation to the Maritime Silk Road heritage. As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Forum that we are hosting in Macao, showcases the efforts of our various alliance partners, both at home and abroad. This event is of particular great significance, also to demonstrate the State's recognition and support for Macao's cultural development, while further strengthening Macao’s international image as a platform for cultural exchange.

This two-day Forum is bringing together leading experts from home and abroad to share the latest research results related to the Maritime Silk Road heritage conservation and its sustainable development. This important event aims to promote international cultural exchange, to share pioneering ideas and academic support for the work of the nomination of the Maritime Silk Road on the UNESCO World Heritage List and, ultimately, will reinforce our joint efforts towards the successful inscription of the Chinese Maritime Silk Road as World Heritage.

I would like to congratulate all participating institutions and participants on the unveiling of the Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Forum and to wish complete success for this event, as well as express my sincere gratitude to the event organisers, co-organisers and coordinators, and to the representatives of member cities of the Cities Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination and fellow peers in the cultural sector, for your participation and support. In the process of advancing the nomination of the Maritime Silk Road as World Heritage, we look forward to continuing close exchanges with you, in order to further enhance our mutual cooperation, all the while working together to push forward the Maritime Silk Road spirit of openness, inclusiveness, peaceful cooperation and mutual learning, which will surely achieve mutual benefits and enduring positive results for all.

Ao Ieong U
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government