The “Macao･Creative City of Gastronomy” work meeting convened today (24 November) and announced the official launch of the Macanese Cuisine Database. 

Officials of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and relevant government entities joined representatives of academia and industry organizations for the “Macao･Creative City of Gastronomy” work meeting held for the third year. MGTO Director and Macao SAR focal point to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, presided over the meeting, which was also attended by MGTO Deputy Directors Cheng Wai Tong and Ricky Hoi, President of the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), Fanny Vong, Deputy Director of Economic Bureau, Chan Tze Wai, representatives of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Labour Affairs Bureau, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Environmental Protection Bureau, and Macau University of Science and Technology, as well as industry delegates in the gastronomy and related fields, among others. The delegates exchanged perspectives on how to advance Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy. 

Co-launch of themed webpage and themed corner of Macanese Cuisine Database

At the meeting, Director Senna Fernandes announced the official launch of the Macanese Cuisine Database, one of the major tasks in pushing forward Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Through MGTO’s collaboration with IFTM, Cultural Affairs Bureau and the International Institute of Macau, among other relevant entities, the webpage of Macanese Cuisine Database is now officially launched for the public and a themed corner of Macanese Cuisine Database is set up at IFTM’s library for education, preservation and promotion of gastronomic culture. 

In line with the SAR Government’s electronic administration, the Macanese Cuisine Database is presented in the form of webpage and built into the Gastronomy Website (www.gastronomy.gov.mo). The content is mainly in English. At present, the Database offers relevant information on 26 books and publications about Macanese cuisine, 19 manuscripts (some provided by Cultural Affairs Bureau and others collected by the International Institute of Macau), as well as 297 recipes (originally from Macanese Library Website, IFTM and Macanese people from worldwide). The Gastronomy Website also features eight videos about Macanese cuisine. In the future, MGTO will partner with pertinent institutes and industry organizations to create and launch more Macanese culinary videos to manifest the culinary arts and culture of Macanese cuisine through visual presentations. 

The themed corner at IFTM’s library was unveiled in sync to display the original copies of books about Macanese cuisine as well as duplicates of the manuscripts. The public is welcome to read the materials in the themed corner. 

Source: https://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/pressroom/index.php?page_id=172&id=3269

On December 14, 2020, a new book by Stuart Braga “Nos Sa Téra, Nos Sa Génti (Our Land, Our People) – Stories of the Macanese people and their homeland” was launched at the auditorium of the International Institute of Macau (IIM).
This new English book some fifty stories in six parts, about the Macanese people, their institutions, buildings, as well as achievements and disasters. The subject of the book is not on Macau History, but many stories, some of them are familiar to us, while others will surprise many readers. The author believes that while there is a variety of stories in this book, there are thousands more waiting to be told.
Stuart Braga is a well-known academic in Australia, born in Hong Kong but a member of a prominent Macanese family whose forebears came to Macau more than 300 years ago. Braga has been promoting the legacy of the Macanese community and its identity and is also author of “Making Impressions – A Portuguese Family in Macau and Hong Kong 1700-1945” and “Five Hundred Years of Macau”. It is with great satisfaction that the IIM assumes once again the publication of this important book by Stuart Braga, which his works has been well accepted by researchers around the world.
On the day, during the book launch, due to the world pandemic of Covid-19, it was shown a recorded interview of Stuart Braga and a the physical presentation by João Guedes, the well-known journalist, book critic and historian in Macau.
The event was made under the preventive measures of the pandemic of Covid-19.

Video of the book launch at the IIM

The opening ceremony of the exhibition of the photo contest “My Macau My Love!” took place on October 27, a joint initiative of the International Institute of Macau, in co-organization with the Macau Digital Photography Association, the Club Leo Macau Central and the Macau Heritage Ambassadors Association, and with the sponsorship of the Macau Foundation. This year had a significant participation of young students and the public, having received more than 270 photographs in the competition, ending August 28, in order to stimulate the knowledge of the population, especially among the youngest, of the wealth of heritage and traditions that shape Macao's culture.

The jury, represented by Yuen Vai Man, Si Wun Cheng, on behalf of the Macau Digital Photography Association, António R. J. Monteiro, respectively representing IIM, Fong Chon Ip of the Club Leo Macau Central and Ng Chi Wai of the Macao Heritage Ambassadors Association.

After evaluating the works, Ho Un Kuan, Wang Jun Jing and Wu Sai Hang ranked first in the student category, while José Manuel da Costa Giga, Lei Chi Fan and Tam U Hang were classified in the general category. In addition, twenty works awarded with honorable mention and a special prize presented by a member of the Macau Digital Photography Association.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was also attended by the participants, winners and juries of the competition, among the special guests, the Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong, Dr. Paulo Cunha Alves, the Director of the Portuguese Institute of the East (IPOR), Dr. Joaquim Coelho Ramos, the President of the General Assembly of the Macau Digital Photography Association, Dr. Yen Kuacfu, the Representative of the Club Leo Macau Central, Mr. Fong Chon Ip, Deputy Director of Public Relations for the Macau Heritage Ambassadors Association, Ms. Sally, Ng Chi Wai and the Secretary-General of the Macau International Institute, Dr. Rufino Ramos.

The photographs are shown in the Chun Chou Tong pavilion at the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden until 30th October, daily between 9 am and 7 pm, under the preventive measures of the COVID-19 pandemic.