Macao children benefit from Tianjin festival

Once the plane touched down, Ngan Chin-hong, 65, wasted no time in taking a large group of young artists straight to a children's art center in Tianjin, where she reunited with many old friends.

Ngan, chairperson of the Macao Children Arts Troupe, led two teams from the Macao Special Administrative Region to participate in the five-day 2024 Tianjin International Children's Art Festival, which concluded on July 26. It was the 11th time they participated in the event. "The children were eager to sign up, and we selected the best of the best, finally settling on 40 people from the art group of over 700 to rehearse new songs and dances," she said.

On stage, the children took on the roles of little birds, sharing the story of Macao's efforts to protect its ecological environment and endangered species. They also performed a variety of songs and dances to highlight the vibrant scenes of Macao since its return to the motherland in 1999.

Team member Wong Hio-wai made many new friends and swapped WeChat account details with them.

"I have seen many performances by children from the Chinese mainland and abroad, and I have benefited a lot," the 12-year-old said.

Ngan believes that, through the festival, children from Macao can start a journey of friendship and heart-to-heart interaction, promoting in-depth exchanges of artistic achievement between the two places, as well as appreciating the mainland's development.

She said their artistic exchanges with the Chinese mainland started in the 1980s, when many mainland artists came to Macao, injecting momentum into the development of art and culture.

In 1998, children's art troupes from Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong and Jilin were invited to Macao to perform. That same year, Ngan took troupe members, including singer Long Chi-lam, to attend the first edition of the TICAF.

"Many team members got more opportunities by attending this art festival. Long was later invited to the Spring Festival Gala and became well-known on the Chinese mainland," Ngan said.

Many former members of the troupe still maintain close connections with the mainland. Some of them have grown up, entered famous Chinese mainland schools and excelled in their respective fields, according to Ngan.

During their trip, the Macao children also climbed the Great Wall, tasted Tianjin delicacies and learned how to make lacquer fans and fragrant sachets.

"The experiences are novel and unforgettable," said Lei Chong-ian, a 12-year-old participant who added that he hopes to attend the event again next time.