TEXT Gonçalo César de Sá
As we enter 2021, we hope this year will be better than the last. But rather than focusing on the pandemic, we would like to highlight all the positives in Macao right now – and that includes the incredible talents of its citizens, especially in the realm of sports. In this first issue of the year, we feature six young sports stars who each excel in their chosen disciplines and each come from different backgrounds. They are all bound for glory.
As we say, we are focusing on the positives right now – just like Macao’s Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, who started the year by visiting the cities of the Greater Bay Area during a four-day tour. Macao is looking to the GBA to accelerate its own development and diversification, and this visit was aimed at giving the Chief Executive ideas on how his city can strengthen economic co-operation and accelerate the development and industrial diversification of Macao. This responds to the needs of the territory to become a zone of entertainment and tourism, as well as a platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Ho Iat Seng also discussed the pandemic with city leaders.
The Chief Executive, who has been praising the city’s population and services for the way they have behaved in the face of the pandemic and managed to keep us free from COVID-19 for so long, this year took advantage of Macao’s traditional awards ceremony to demonstrate the government’s thanks to all those who have contributed to security and health control both in the city and abroad. We cover the ceremony in a special piece dedicated to everyone who has shown outstanding bravery in the face of adversity over the past 12 months.
Our first edition of 2021 also highlights two fascinating exhibitions in Macao right now: ‘Stately Demeanour: Costumes of Qing Emperors and Empresses from the Collection of the Palace Museum’ at the Macao Museum of Art and the ‘Memory of the Past’ old postcard exhibition at the Macao Museum. We hear that in the first three weeks of ‘Stately Demeanour’ alone, more than 10,000 locals came through the doors to admire the clothes and accessories from years gone by that adorn the many display cases. Indeed, art and culture is given great prominence in this first edition of the year. As we enter a new 12 months, we must focus on the positives. And, in Macao, when it comes to art, culture, history, events and future economic developments, there’s a wealth of positives to behold.
*Photo by António Sanmarful
