Macao Reading Festival 2025 inaugurates on Friday at Taipa Houses featuring diverse reading activities for three consecutive days

MACAU, December 4 - In order to enrich the cultural connotation of the community and contribute to the development of Macao as a “City of Reading”, the Macao Reading Festival 2025 (hereinafter referred to as “Reading Festival”), organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from its Portuguese acronym), will be inaugurated on 5 December (Friday), at 5pm, at the Taipa Houses. Themed “Reading Vacation”, the event will be held from 5 to 7 December for three consecutive days, featuring the “Outdoor Library”, the “Art and Cultural Book Fair”, the “Sky Cinema”, the “Café and Cultural and Creative Market”, performances and game booths. The Reading Festival not only incorporates elements of the 15^th National Games and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the National Special Olympics Games, but also offers a weekend that combines reading, arts and leisure. Admission is free. Residents and tourists are welcome to participate.

The “Reading Festival” features a number of thematic areas, including an outdoor library which offers an immersive experience for readers to enjoy the reading time in nature; the “Art and Cultural Book Fair” which offers a diverse range of books from local bookstores, publishers and IC for readers to explore with ease. The Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Library and the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will also set up booths onsite, allowing the public to learn more about the libraries of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

The stage performances will be presented in diverse artistic forms, including Bossa Nova music, handpan and therapeutic music, lyrical music, busking at the Taipa Houses and shadow puppetry, offering residents a therapeutic artistic experience with varied elements. The “Sky Cinema” will present a number of films adapted from literary works every night at 8pm, including the classic film Rouge, adapted from the novel of the same title by Lilian Lee and casted by Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung; Fagara, adapted from the novel My Spicy Love by Amy Cheung and casted by Sammi Cheng; and the local romantic film Taste of Love, casted by Julio Acconci, allowing the audience to appreciate the charm of literary works under the starry night.

In addition, the “Café and Cultural and Creative Market” features 25 local stalls, offering original picture books, stationery, handmade products and distinctive light meals, enhancing the artistic atmosphere of the event. The Reading Festival also features the “Chill Zone”, “Serenity Corner” and game booths, as well as the thematic installations of the Reading Festival and the mascots “Xiyangyang” and “Lerongrong” of the 15^th National Games and the 12^th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9^th National Special Olympic Games, which allow residents to take photos. Participants can receive exquisite souvenirs upon checking in onsite. The souvenirs are available while stock last. The event also features a lucky draw, and participants will stand a chance to win fabulous prizes including an e-reader and a keychain camera.

During the event, 20 reading activities and workshops will be held, including the “Book Travelers” Shared Reading Activities, the “Recharge Your Spirit” Workshop, and the “Portable Specimen Box x Biodiversity in Nature” Parent-Child Workshop. Successful applicants are advised to attend the workshops on time. Those who arrive 10 minutes after the workshop registration closes will be disqualified and replaced by on-site applicants on the waiting list.

The Reading Festival 2025 is organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, co-organised by the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the Education and Youth Development Bureau, the Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Macao Science Center, and supported by the Macao Youth Federation, the Macao New Chinese Youth Association, the General Association of Chinese Students of Macao, and the Macau Youth Development Service Centre.

The event will be held from 5pm to 10pm on 5 December, and from 3pm to 10pm on 6 and 7 December. For more information about the activities, please visit the Macao Reading Festival 2025 website (www.library.gov.mo/macaoreadingfestival), or the mobile application “My Library”, or contact the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library through tel. no.2837 7117 during the opening hours of the library.