The Memory of the World Knowledge Centre-Macau (The Centre), supported by Memory of the World Program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was jointly established by the University and the Macau Documentation and Information Society last November and is located in the University Library. To mark its first anniversary, the Centre organized a series of international forum with the theme of “The Historical Memory of Belt and Road” and invited documentary scholars from Mainland China, Goa, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau to attend the Forum and exchange views with different sectors of Macau with an aim to collate the collective historical memory of Belt and Road and also explore the feasibility of cooperation with respect to nominating documentation for inscription on the Memory of the World Register.

The opening ceremony of the Forum was held at Ho Yin Convention Centre of the University and was attended by guests including Ms. Zhong Yi, Vice President of the Administrative Committee, Macao Foundation, Mr. Hong Bo, Director of Department of Youth Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Mr. Ran Bo, Director of the Policy and Research Department of the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr. Chang Kun Hong, Deputy Director of Tertiary Education Services Office, Dr. Lau Fong, representative of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ms. Leong Hoi Keng, Director of the Macau Documentation and Information Society, Ms. Lau Sin Peng, a senior educator, Prof. Ieong Wan Chong of “One Country Two Systems” Research Centre, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Prof. Shu Guang Zhang, Rector of the University and Prof. Ip Kuai Peng, Pro-Rector of the University.

The Conference has two sections. The keynote discussions centered around the macro development of the historical memory of Belt and Road in the context of the Memory of the World Program and the archives of China’s Ming-Ching Dynasties. The panel discussions explored the feasibility of regional cooperation and nomination for the Memory of the World Register from the perspectives of different regions. The focuses of discussions included review of and research in world literature, building, development and utilization of the information resource network, construction of Memory of Macau Program, and Macau and cross regional cooperation etc. The organizer hoped to raise society’s awareness of literature preservation and literature heritage. Another aim was to promote Macau’s information services.

As part of the event, an archives and records exhibition “Historical Memory of Belt and Road” was held at our University Library to foster communication and interaction. The exhibits, provided by The First Historical Archives of China, The Archives of Macau and the National Archives of Malaysia, were replicates of historical records related to Macau, including 36 items of map, correspondence and memorial to the throne.

Guests who attended the Forum include Mr. Sun Shen Lin, Curator of the First Historical Archives of China, Li Wen Dong, Director of the Nation Archives Administration of the Peoples' Republic of China, Dr. Roslyn Russell, member of the International Register Subcommittee, Memory of the World Register, Memory of the World Program, UNESCO, Mr. Rahul Goswami, UNESCO expert on Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific region (Goa), Mr. Andrew Henderson, Secretary General of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific, Memory of the World Program, UNESCO, Mr. Horacio Marques, Director General of the National Archive of Timor-Leste, Mr. Carlito Martins, Nasionál Director Administration, Mr. Yusoff Md Ismail, Head of Purchasing Department, National Archives of Malaysia.