MACAU, July 25 - The Student and Youth Show in Celebration of Macao’s Return to the Motherland cum International Youth Dance Festival, which is co-organised by the Education and Youth Development Bureau, SJM Resorts Limited and Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited, collaborated by the Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office, the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau, the University of Macau, Macao Polytechnic University, the Education Forum for Asia, the Chinese Educators Association of Macau, the Macau Higher Education Development Promotion Association, the Macau Catholic Schools Association, the Associação Educativa da Função Pública de Macau and the Committee of Macao Youth Associations for Organising Activities, and supported by the Guangdong Youth Federation, put on the finale show ‘International Youth Dance Festival 2024—Closing Performances’ at Macao Forum tonight (25 July).

Young dancers from Macao and different countries and regions gave their best performances. The show began with an opening dance prepared by dance group representatives from different parts of the world, followed by various featured dances that gradually brought the atmosphere to a climax. The audience immersed themselves wholly in the cultural feast of ‘making friends through dance’ and the night was filled with applause and cheers. At the end of the show, all dancers appeared on stage for a curtain call, bringing the event to a perfect end. The closing show attracted a live audience of around 1,600 people, and it was also aired live on TV and online for all to enjoy. Dancers from different parts of the world expressed that Macao had made quite an impression on them. They all tried to take as many photos with each other as possible before the night ended so as to preserve the precious memories.

The closing show was attended by Mr Kong Chi Meng, Director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macau Government Tourism Office; Ms Isabella Liu, Executive Secretary General of Education Forum for Asia; Dr Olga Gégény, Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate General of Hungary in Hong Kong; Ms Ranida Chamchalerm, Deputy Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong; Ms Nur’Amirah Mohamad, Consul of the Consulate General of Malaysia in Hong Kong; Mr Benjamin Toh, Chief Operating Officer of SJM Resorts Limited; Ms Huang Yan, representative of Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited and Deputy General Manager of China Travel Service (Macao) Limited; representatives of the collaborators and the supporter; members of the Education Committee; members of the Youth Affairs Committee; members of the Teaching Staff Professional Committee; representatives from higher education and non-higher education institutions.

The Student and Youth Show in Celebration of Macao’s Return to the Motherland cum International Youth Dance Festival was successfully held from 20 to 25 July 2024. Festivities of the event included a parade, flashmobs, artistic performance workshops, as well as outdoor and indoor performances. The whole event attracted more than 20,000 spectators, and more than 100,000 views for the livestream. With the support from all sectors, around 1,500 performers participated in the event, including Macao teachers and students, youths from other cities in the Greater Bay Area, 12 non-local dance groups from Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Australia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, China, as well as 23 local dance groups. Furthermore, a cultural experience tour is specially arranged for the participants during their stay in Macao, allowing them to feel the charm of Macao as a ‘City of Gastronomy’ and ‘City of Culture’. A photography contest and promotional activities were also organised to allow Macao residents and tourists to engage in the event through various channels and celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 25^th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland.