Marcelo received in applause in the historical centre of Macau
The President of the Republic today highlighted the architecture and gastronomy of Macau, “an intense civilization and unrepeatable“, in a walk through the historic centre of the territory where he was received with loud applause.
The less than 24 hours of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in Macau started this morning in Largo do Senado, the heart of the historical and urban centre of the “sidewalk city” and the starting point for a “gastronomic and heritage itinerary“.
Between Santa Casa da Misericórdia and the Ruins of São Paulo, two emblematic sites of that centre that were once declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Marcelo was embraced by residents, drank tea with merchants, tasted pastels of cream and went, all over the place stroll applauded and photographed by a curious crowd.
In Santa Casa, the Portuguese head of state that marks 450 years ago, the Portuguese head of state highlighted the “permanence and renewal of the founding spirit” of the institution.
“Here [Macau] has arrived with this spirit along with all the spirit that we have carried around the world,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, referring to the overseas expansion of Portugal, in the speech given at the institution.
After being received by Antônio José de Freitas, the President of the Republic of China, the President of the Republic also underlined “the singular history” of the institution “in the world and in Asia, where so much civilization was born and from where it is projected for the future so much civilization. ”
The challenge facing the institution is “fidelity to the roots“, to maintain the entrepreneurial spirit of mercies, and “to live in the framework of excellence in relations between Portugal and China.”
For its part, the provider of the Holy House stressed that the history of the institution “is inseparable from the presence of the Portuguese community in this region of southern China” and expressed a desire “to continue to dignify the good name of Portugal and the Portuguese community that remains here “.
Among the many emblematic sites of Macau’s historical center, and always accompanied by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao, Alexis Tam, the Portuguese President has tasted Macanese and Portuguese-influenced delicacies, including the famous cream cake, which he admitted to being “ less sweet “here, and highlighted several times the Portuguese sidewalk, which confessed to” make all the difference “in the landscape.
At the last stop of the script, the Ruins of Sao Paulo, Marcelo underlined the uniqueness of Macau, largely due to Portuguese influence in the region.
“Macau is different, it’s worth it because it’s different, the difference means a cross between languages, traditions and gastronomy, that is the wealth of Macao … which has to continue in the presence of the Portuguese language,” he said.
Macau is the last point of the visit of the head of state to the People’s Republic of China, which ends today.
