Lusofonia Festival 2010 - Macao

Lusofonia Festival

Origin

The first Lusofonia Festival was held in 1998 on the Portuguese Expatriate Day (10 June) to celebrate Portuguese-speaking individuals who have contributed to Macao’s development. Originally known as the “Carnival in a Portuguese Style”, the festival has turned into a cultural event incorporated with Portuguese culture. Its Chinese name denotes Portuguese live music in the Carmo Area, entertaining visitors in the picturesque setting of the Taipa Houses-Museum.

Aims

In its infancy, the festival attracted mostly expatriates of Portuguese-speaking countries living in Macao. Today, it has become a magnet for all residents as well as visitors. The festival in 2008 was held in combination with the Cultural Week for the first time. Since then, this annual event has been a holiday celebration of gastronomic and other cultural delights that immerse participants in the Chinese and Portuguese cultures wedded together. To visitors who have taken in Macao’s downtown architecture in its Chinese and Western styles, it is a not-to-be-missed fun in a beautiful town on the southern border of China.

Activities for 2010

The Lusofonia Festival and Cultural Week of China and Portuguese Speaking Countries 2010 was hosted by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Supporting Office to the Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for the Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries and the Macau Government Tourist Office, in Carmo Area and Carmo’s Fair of Taipa, Senado Square and Park of Iao Hon Market. It was be a multi-day programme featuring shows from China; Portugal; Angola; Brazil; Cape Verde; Goa, Daman and Díu; Guinea-Bissau; Mozambique; São Tomé and Príncipe; East Timor and Macau. The event included a Traditional Craft Fair of the Portuguese-speaking and Chinese Communities, Portuguese food, song and dance (by ensembles from Macao, mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries), Art Show of Angola and Cape Verde, Craft Fair of Portuguese-speaking countries, and performance by the groups from Goa, Daman and Díu.

From Goa Daman and Diu the group that performed was Kepechim Kirnnam and Belinda.

News extract from internet

Photo credits Ms. Priyanka Pereira