The Macao International Book Fair 2019, featured in the 2nd Encounter in Macao—Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and jointly organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macao S.A.R. Government and the China National Publications Import & Export (Group) Corporation, was inaugurated on 4 July, at 10:30am, at the Exhibition Hall A of The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. The opening ceremony was held in a lively atmosphere and was officiated by the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Xue Xiaofeng; the Representative of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government and the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian; the President of the China Publishing Group Corporation, Tan Yue; the Consul-General of Portugal in Macao, Paulo Cunha Alves; the Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), Xu Yingzhen; the President of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Foundation, Wu Zhiliang; the Deputy Director of the Policy Research Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Jiang Xiaofan; the Vice President of the Institute for Tourism Studies of Macao, Florence Ian and the Head of Licensing and Inspection Department of the Macao Government Tourism Office of the Macao SAR Government, Chan Lou.
Various guests and representatives of the publishers also attended the ceremony: the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Beijing, Bendito Dos Santos Freitas; the Consul-General of the Republic of Angola in the Macao SAR, Sofia Pegado da Silva; the Consul-General of Mozambique in the Macao SAR, Rafael Custudio Marques; the Deputy Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Liu Wei; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Chan Kai Chon; the President of Macau Publications Association, Chan U Ion; the President of China Health-Media Group, Ltd., Wu Shaozhen; the Vice President of the China National Publications Import & Export (Group) Corporation, Lin Liying; the President of Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, Édouard Cointreau; the President of the Chinese Creation Publishing Co., Ltd., Wang Chenghui.
The book fair is held from 4 to 7 July and attracts the participation of over 60 publishers from more than 20 countries and regions, with a total volume of more than 10,000 books exhibited. Exhibitors from Portuguese-speaking countries include publishers from Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, East Timor, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Guinea-Bissau, featuring the world-famous publishing houses, Editora Presença from Portugal and Editora Senac São Paulo from Brazil. Other exhibitors come from Europe, Southeast Asia and South America, and there are also 20 famous publishers from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, such as China Publishing Group Corporation, People’s Literature Publishing House, Guangxi Normal University Press Group, Tsinghua University Press, Sino United Publishing (Holdings) Limited from Hong Kong, Portuguese Bookshop and Macau Ricci Institute, among others. The Cultural Affairs Bureau held a luncheon for the guests to exchange their opinions on the same day. The luncheon was supported by Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited.
There are four book exhibition areas of different themes, namely the “Exhibition Area of Food and Wine Books”, the “Exhibition Area of Chinese Publications”, the “International Exhibition Area” and the “Reading Experience Area”. The “Exhibition Area of Chinese Publications” includes the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”, which showcases cultural and food publications from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; and the “Macao Pavilion”, jointly presented by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Macao Foundation and the Institute for Tourism Studies, which showcases locally published books on Chinese and Portuguese cultures, food, history and travel; as well as a sector which presents publications of food culture from over 15 local publishers, allowing the audience to have a better understanding of Macao’s food culture and to feel the vigorous charm of Macao as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”.
The “Macao International Book Fair 2019” features a series of activities including “Salon Area” and “Chef’s Kitchen”, which are open to the public with free admission. 24 excellent activities are held in the “Salon Area”, including the “24th Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Ceremony”, seminars on publishing culture, exchange sessions, book launches and writers’ dialogues. The first session “China-PSC publishing culture seminar”, dedicated to the theme “Promoting Development and Seeking Cooperation – New Opportunities for Publications on Food Culture”, was held in the morning on the same day, inviting several professionals from Chinese and overseas publishing industries to share their insights on new opportunities for cooperation and development between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Famous writers, including Chua Lam, Ge Liang, Liu Zhenyun and Craig Au Yeung Ying Chai and local writers Tong Mui Siu, Yao Feng, Wang Chen Pao and Cecília Jorge, among others, were invited. They will jointly elaborate a cross-boundary sharing about food and literature, turning cultural creativity into a driving force for the sustainable development of the city. Representatives of publishing houses from China and Portuguese-speaking countries gather to share their insights on the development of Chinese and Portuguese publishing culture and encourage the audience to think about the significance of Macao’s food culture from a new perspective, so as to broaden the cultural horizons, improve the city’s status, and invigorate Macao's book publishing market and cultural development. Limited seats for the programmes at the “Salon Area” are available and interested audience are welcome to participate on the spot. Audience at the writers' dialogues sessions will have a chance to obtain a limited-edition postcard.
In order to give the audience a vivid experience of the exotic flavours as described in the food books, a number of national and international distinguished chefs, including internationally renowned chef Chakall; Culinary Arts Director and Head of Le Cordon Bleu Paris Cuisine Department, Philippe Groult; and famous French chef Cyril Rouquet, will host live cooking shows at the Chef’s Kitchen, which includes a demonstration of Macanese cuisine, showcasing Macao’s vigorous charm as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”. A total of 21 sessions of different themes will be presented at the “Chef’s Kitchen”, offering opportunities for the audience to learn and experience delicacies. Free tasting is offered in each session. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The “2nd Encounter in Macao—Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” is organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, supported by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture and is co-organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office. Supporting entities to the book fair include the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao S.A.R., China Publishing Group Corporation, Macao Foundation and Institute for Tourism Studies. Admission is free and all are welcome. The book fair is open from 10:00am to 8:00pm, from 4 to 6 July and from 10:00am to 4:30pm on 7 July, with last admission at 30 minutes before the closing time every day. Visitors can enjoy free parking at Hall B, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao during the exhibition period. For more information, please visit the webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/FCP or follow the “IC Art” Page on Facebook, or subscribe to WeChat account “ICmacao”.
