The University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) recently held the Fourth UM Language and Culture Day to promote language and cultural diversity. With the theme ‘Cherish Mother Tongues, Embrace All Cultures’, the event featured various cultural performances presented by academic staff and students from different countries and regions. More than 200 UM students, faculty members, and staff participated in the event.
The Language and Culture Day is a signature event at UM organised by the FAH to promote the preservation of mother tongues and raise students’ awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity in Macao. In his welcome speech, Xu Jie, dean of the FAH, said that multiculturalism and multilingualism are the unique characteristics of Macao and UM, and that Macao is both a ‘living cultural museum’ and a ‘natural language laboratory’. He also quoted the renowned anthropologist and sociologist Fei Xiaotong: ‘Cherish one’s own beauty, respect others’ beauty, and when all kinds of beauty are respected and cherished, the world will become one’, emphasising that people’s lives and the world are wonderful because of diversity.
At the opening ceremony, academic staff and students gave performances of traditional and pop songs, as well as dance, music, and folklore performances, to showcase the cultures of China, Africa, Scotland, Japan, Europe, and other regions. The performances left a deep impression on the audience. Moreover, those joining the event had the opportunity to appreciate language and cultural diversity through the game ‘Cultural Treasure Hunt’, handicraft workshops, film screenings, and presentations of traditional cultures of different countries.
The officiating guests at the event also included Mok Kai Meng, vice rector of UM; Yang Liu, college master of Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College; Katrine Wong, director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning Enhancement; and Paul Pang, dean of students.
