The First International Forum on Chinese and Portuguese Languages concluded successfully. The forum was jointly organised by the Department of Portuguese of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Confucius Institute of the University of Macau (UM) with assistance from the UM library. More than 40 experts and scholars from different universities engaged in academic exchanges on Chinese and Portuguese literature, linguistics, culture, translation, teaching, and other related fields. Participants highly praised the forum and hoped that it can create a broader platform for exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries in various fields.

The forum aimed to leverage Macao’s unique advantages as a service platform for exchanges and cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, promote academic research and collaboration among international institutions, and leverage UM’s distinct role in Portuguese studies, Chinese studies, research on the exchange between Portuguese and Eastern cultures, and other related research areas. The opening ceremony of the forum also included the presentation of the Henrique de Senna Fernandes Academic Prize for the Best Portuguese Thesis for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years. Prizes were awarded to three best doctoral theses from UM’s Department of Portuguese and one best master’s thesis in Portuguese from UM’s Faculty of Law. The prizes were funded by the University of Macau Development Foundation and were launched on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the outstanding Macanese writer and lawyer Henrique de Senna Fernandes. Moreover, Maria José Grosso, a professor who has taught at the University of Lisbon and UM, was presented with a book by her colleagues at the opening ceremony as a token of appreciation for her dedication to the teaching of the Portuguese language in Lisbon, Macao, mainland, and other places.

A book launch was also held during the closing ceremony of the forum. Prof Anabela Leal de Barros from the University of Minho introduced her book Os ovos de ouros. Focusing on agriculture, the book vividly portrays the development and current situation of industries such as coffee cultivation, fishery, and animal husbandry in East Timor. It provides a wealth of materials for cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and regions.

In addition, the annual council meeting of the Academic Library Alliance for Portuguese Language Resources between Macao Special Administrative Region and Mainland China (ABAMACHINA), as well as the seminar on library management strategies and service innovation, which were held concurrently, achieved fruitful results. University librarians and experts who attended the council meeting acknowledged the substantial efforts of the alliance. The libraries of ABAMACHINA members will strengthen cooperation to support the development of the alliance in terms of resources, data, technology, and personnel training and exchanges. It is expected that ABAMACHINA will have greater influence on Portuguese language teaching, research, and cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.