The opening ceremony of the 19th A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival was held at A-Ma Cultural Village in Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Oct 13.

Guests of honor included Ho Hau Wah, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Sam Hou Fai, chief executive of the Macao SAR; Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Cheng Lei, acting commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR; and Jiang Erxiong, vice-governor of East China’s Fujian province.

Chan Meng Kam, chairman of the organizing committee of the event, said in his remarks that this year's festival offered a rich and diverse program with profound cultural significance, serving both as a major cultural celebration and a platform for cooperation.

He expressed hope that Mazu culture would serve as a bond for further practical cooperation among Fujian, Macao and Taiwan across various fields.

As one of the highlights of this year's festival, a seminar on the contemporary significance of Mazu culture was held on Oct 12. Chinese and international scholars, including Lam Fat Iam, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Macao Polytechnic University, discussed topics such as the evolution of Mazu beliefs and customs in different local contexts, their preservation and dissemination in the digital era, the integration of religious customs across the Taiwan Strait, and their value in contemporary society.

The festival also featured an exhibition of 56 outstanding traditional works of art and crafts from Fujian.

Over the years, the A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival has expanded its influence, becoming an important platform for promoting Chinese culture and fostering people-to-people exchanges.