The Macao Special Administrative Region is reaffirming its commitment to cultural exchange, cultural heritage preservation, and sustainable development through the upcoming International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations, an official from the SAR government said on Monday.
The forum, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, will bring together government representatives, international organizations, and leading experts from around the world to foster dialogue and collaboration, according to Leong Wai-man, president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR government.
Under the theme “Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Inheritance and Development”, the two-day event aims to explore new pathways for civilizational inclusiveness, cultural innovation, and cooperative development.
Describing it as a great honor for Macao to host the forum, Leong highlighted the city’s rich cultural diversity and inclusiveness, as well as its longstanding contributions to global cultural exchange.
She noted that Macao’s unique blend of Chinese and Western cultures makes it a fitting backdrop for such an international dialogue.
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“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the successful inscription of the Historic Centre of Macao on the UNESCO World Heritage List,” Leong said. “You can see Chinese and Western cultures blend seamlessly in Macao. For over 400 years, Macao has served as a model for cultural exchange.”
She emphasized that this cultural fusion is evident not only in the urban layout and architecture of the Historic Centre of Macao, but also in the city’s rich intangible cultural heritage and the everyday lives of its residents, who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
“Macao has the inherent quality to promote mutual learning and cultural exchange among those civilizations,” she added.
Presented by the Macao SAR government and organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the event is supported by the Chinese Academy of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Highlights of the two-day event include two parallel subforums — “Mutual Learning among Civilizations and Diverse Coexistence” and “Conservation and Sustainable Development of Cultural Heritage” — alongside a series of academic salons. It will also feature nearly 20 keynote speeches and discussions.
Leong said the forum offers an important platform for the exchange of ideas on mutual learning and cultural heritage protection.
She expressed hope that the forum would benefit not only attendees but also a wider audience over time.
“By gradually accumulating these thoughtful ideas and experiences, we hope to share them through our platform with people who are unable to attend the conference, and even with future researchers interested in cultural heritage,” she said.
