The “Opening Ceremony of 2025 China National Arts Fund-supported Projects & Launch Ceremony of Intensive Training” was held today by the Faculty of Innovation and Design (FIAD) of the City University of Macau (CityU) at Angsana Zhuhai Phoenix Bay. During the event, admission letters were awarded to 20 participants in the talent development project, marking the beginning of a 30-day intensive training course. The opening ceremony highlighted two funded projects: “Revival of Macao’s Splendor – Delicately Depicting the Image of Mountains, Sea, and City” and “Urban Public Art and Cultural Tourism Creative Talent Training Project”. These projects aim to promote the deep integration of art, culture, tourism, and education, while establishing a diverse communication network led by the government, supported by academia, and practiced by industry, ultimately advancing the sharing and innovative development of cultural and artistic resources.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Ye Zhen, deputy director of the Work Office of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province; Carlos Roberto Xavier, head of the Department of Tertiary Education of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Lee Ka Kit, acting director of the Subsidy Supervision Division of the Macao Cultural Development Fund; Li Zisong, director of the Federation of Associations of Cultural Sectors of Macau; Ung Choi Kun, vice chairman of the University Council of CityU; Ip Kuai Peng, vice rector of CityU; Zhang Xinchang, professor at the School of Geography and Remote Sensing at Guangzhou University and academician of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences; Lu Xiaobo, distinguished professor of Liberal Arts at Tsinghua University and director of the Tsinghua University Art Museum; Wang Po-Hsun, executive associate dean of the FIAD of CityU; and assistant professor Liu Jing.
The event also invited Pang Guohua and Peng Shengfang, representatives from the China National Arts Fund Management Center; Zhong Haibo, deputy director of the Social Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; Kuok Mio U, head of the Department of Performing Arts Development of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Lam In Kit, chief of the Division of Tourism, MICE and Commerce of the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and other government representatives. Leaders from CityU, including Council Member Cintia Chan and Pro-Rectors Robert Chan and Vince Chu Te Lin, also participated. The event attracted over 80 scholars, experts, and student representatives from more than 20 universities, including Hunan University of Technology, Guangdong University of Technology, Huaqiao University, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, and Nankai University, as well as from professional bodies such as the China Artists Association and the China Culture Administration Association.
In his remarks, Vice Rector Ip Kuai Peng emphasized that as CityU celebrates its 44th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the FIAD, the successful approval of the two projects by the China National Arts Fund underscores the central government’s support for the development of higher education in Macao. He noted that CityU will take this opportunity to build a broader platform for artistic exchange and contribute actively to the prosperity and development of Macao’s culture and art.
Li Zisong, director of the Federation of Associations of Cultural Sectors of Macau, also delivered a speech recognizing the profound significance of the two projects. He noted that the initiatives not only provide a valuable platform for artistic exchange between mainland China and Macao, but also vividly present Macao’s unique urban spirit to the world. At the same time, the projects are nurturing a new generation of multidisciplinary professionals who combine academic, industrial, and research strengths. Director Li offered three aspirations to the training course participants: to inherit culture with reverence, to break boundaries through innovation, and to move forward together with openness.
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Executive Associate Dean Wang Po-Hsun, as the principal responsible person of the project “Revival of Macao’s Splendor – Delicately Depicting the Image of Mountains, Sea, and City”, introduced the project. He pointed out that the initiative seeks to vividly portray Macao’s distinctive “mountain-sea-city” cultural imagery through artistic creation and to advance the international dissemination of Macao’s culture. The project team will meticulously organize a series of activities, including exhibitions and academic seminars, to promote cultural and artistic exchange. Liu Yingwu, former dean of the College of Fine Arts at Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, spoke on behalf of the experts and expressed his hope that art could bring forth a new mode of cultural expression for Macao.
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Liu Jing, responsible person of the “Urban Public Art and Cultural Tourism Creative Talent Training Project”, emphasized the vast potential for integrated development in culture, art, and cultural tourism as the Hengqin-Macao integration progresses. The project aims to cultivate cultural and tourism professionals with a global vision who can showcase the cultural allure of Hengqin and Macao. Professor Ni Bangwen, representing the faculty, underlined the project’s role in implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and enhancing cultural confidence.
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Dr. Li Chenxi, speaking on behalf of the trainees, expressed a commitment to make the most of this national-level training opportunity and grow alongside her fellow trainees. During the event, CityU also held a ceremony appointing Academician Zhang Xinchang as a Distinguished Professor.
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Following the launch ceremony, the “Hengqin-Macao Cultural Tourism Forum” was held. As a key component of the “Urban Public Art and Cultural Tourism Creative Talent Training Project”, a 2025 China National Arts Fund-supported project, the forum focused on the development of the cultural tourism industry in Hengqin and Macao. Representatives from the government, academia, and industry engaged in in-depth discussions on policy innovation, talent cultivation, and integrated development, offering constructive insights to foster high-quality growth in the regional cultural tourism sector.
The successful hosting of this event marks the official launch of CityU’s national-level art talent development initiatives and is expected to play an active role in deepening cultural cooperation between Hengqin and Macao, and in contributing positively to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
