A book launch and exhibition entitled Macao Cultural Signatures Photo Album: Search for Breadth and Depth in Cultural Heritage List organized by the City University of Macau and Macau Society of Social Sciences was successfully held on May 27 at the Ho Yin Convention Centre of CityU. Guests attending the launch ceremony included Wan Sucheng, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Lai Chan Keong, member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation, Cheng Wai Tong, Deputy Director of Macao Government Tourism Office, Van Mei Lin, Deputy Director of Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau, Vong Iat Hang, Chief at the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Benedict Keith Ip at the Bishop's House of Macao representing Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang, Rector Shu Guang Zhang and University Librarian Shi Li Mei at CityU and President Helen Ieong and Council Chairman Kwan Fung of Macau Society of Social Sciences.

In his welcoming speech, Rector Shu Guang Zhang pointed out that that “Macao Cultural Signatures” was a topic of epoch-making significance and can fully reflect the local culture, social characteristics, and typical items that serve as image and cultural essence of the city, including landmark buildings, traditional cultural festivals, archives and historical materials. Macao has been a bridge between China and the West since the 16th century, so the cultural resources left behind have unique universal values. With the rapid development in recent years, finding a way to preserve history and culture and inherit human civilization has aroused social concern.

In his speech, Council Chairman Kwan Fung at the Macau Society of Social Sciences stressed that the Society has been committed to the research of social sciences for 33 years, and has actively promoted the Cultural Signatures program in recent years. After the successful selection, it has continued to carry out a series of promotional activities, including organizing cultural signatures tours in various universities in Macao, participating in large-scale exhibitions of the Cantonese Cultural Festival in Guangzhou, and presenting certificates of top ten cultural signatures. Now, the Macau Society of Social Sciences, together with the City University of Macau, is jointly launching the "Photo Album" to tie in with the development direction of Macao's culture. Kwan believed that the promotion of culture should be carried out in a sustainable manner.

President Ieong at the Macau Society of Social Sciences briefly introduced the Cultural Signatures program and the contents of the Photo Album. She said that the photos in the album was accompanied by captions and that it was easy for citizens and tourists to carry. Through the "Heritage List" projects in Macao, citizens and tourists may learn about Macao's history and culture and offer valuable suggestions to promote the better use of Macao's cultural resources. Also, she mentioned that as promoted by Guangdong Federation of Social and Scientific Communities in recent years, cultural signatures selection activities were also carried out in many cities in Guangdong, including Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Dongguan and other cities in the Greater Bay Area. The launch of Macao's Cultural Signatures program refines cultural resources through the participation of all walks of society, thereby increasing local residents' and tourists' understanding of this historical and cultural town and enhancing their sense of identity. Meanwhile, the cultural signatures activities in Guangdong and Macao will promote understanding between cities in the Greater Bay Area.

Macao Cultural Signatures Photo Album: Search for Breadth and Depth in Cultural Heritage List, jointly published by the Macau Society of Social Sciences and the City University of Macau and funded by the Macao Foundation, covers Macao's top ten cultural signatures, temples, churches, Chinese-style buildings, western-style buildings, military buildings, rocks and parks, streets and areas, municipal facilities and residential buildings, intangible cultural heritage, literature heritage and other cultural aspects. In order to publicize Macao's historical and cultural resources, some cultural aspects were also displayed in the University Library during the book launch.

The selection of "Macao's Top Ten Cultural Signatures" was organized by the Macao Society of Social Sciences and the City University of Macao in recent years, with the participation and support of residents from Macao and experts from Guangdong and Macao. Ten aspects were selected from more than 100 cultural properties and elements listed in the World Heritage List, Macao Heritage List, Intangible Cultural Heritage List, Memory of the World Register and National Catalogue of Precious Ancient Books (Literature Heritage): The Ruins of St. Paul and Company of Jesus Square, Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora do Monte de São Paulo, the Guia Hill and Guia Fortress (including the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Guia and Lighthouse), the Government Headquarters (Government House), the Festival of the Drunken Dragon, the Macao General Post Office, A-Ma Temple and Barra Square, Largo do Carmo/Estrada de Cacilhas/Our Lady of Carmel Church/Jardim do Carmo, Mandarin's House (Zheng Guanying's Former Residence), and Senado Square. The Photo Album covers the top ten cultural signatures and all the candidate properties and elements, and selects the photos taken by Chan Hin Io, a famous photographer in Macao, in order to promote Macao's historical and cultural charm, to give full play to Macao's cultural soft power especially for the development opportunities brought by deepened cooperation concept in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and to enhance cultural exchanges and integration in the Greater Bay Area.

Welcoming Speech by Rector Shu Guang Zhang

Speech by Council Chairman Kwan Fung

Speech by President Ieong

Group Photo of the Guests

The Exhibition