Organized by the Instituto Português do Oriente (IPOR) in partnership with the Consulate General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong and title sponsored by Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), the “Literary and Cultural Festival for Parents and Children – Alphabet & Friends” 2026 ended on May 24 after three weeks of public activities and school sessions.
This year marked the sixth consecutive year of support from GEG and the second consecutive year as title sponsor. The edition attracted more than 1,800 participants.
Under the theme “My City”, the festival invited children, young people and families to reflect on the place where they live.
Through literature, music, visual arts and performing arts, the programme promoted citizenship, sustainability and tolerance while encouraging a stronger sense of belonging and curiosity about the community.
The opening ceremony took place on May 9 at the Portuguese School of Macau, with the presence of the Consul General of Portugal, Dr. Alexandre Leitão; Ms. Annie Loi, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility of Public Relations at GEG; and Dr. Patrícia Quaresma, Director of IPOR. Representatives from the Macao SAR Government also attended, including Dr. Cheng Wai Tong and Dr. Mak Kim Meng.
The event also featured mini-concerts by the winners of the fourth Lusophone Singing Competition.
On May 10, the exhibition “My City” opened with seven maps illustrated by Portuguese artist André Letria and works by 188 students from four schools in Macao.
The opening brought together around 70 people and was followed by a roundtable discussion on urban development and critical thinking in contemporary cities.
Teacher training remained a key part of the programme. “Alphabet & Friends” offered two sessions, one on visual literacy led by André Letria and another on digital literacy led by Inês Cardoso, editorial director of Notícias Ilimitada. In total, 38 teachers took part.
School activities reached 989 students. André Letria led an illustration workshop, while Inês Cardoso presented her bilingual Portuguese-Chinese children’s book “From London to Porto on a Seagull”.
Portuguese multidisciplinary artist Afonso Cruz also led a creative writing workshop and later spoke on the same theme at the University of São José.
The school programme closed with “(En)cantar com Alice e Sebastião”, a music performance by Sara Meireles and Tiago Ferreira that visited five schools and ended with a public show on May 24.
On May 17, a family event at the Galaxy Kidz Edutainment Center gathered more than 30 students and parents for a performance by Hong Kong-based Joyful Theatre, followed by an interactive workshop.
Books by Portuguese authors, including bilingual Portuguese-Chinese editions, were also distributed to nearly 20 school libraries in Macau.
Supported by Camões, I.P. and Porto Editora, the initiative marked World Portuguese Language Day and encouraged reading in Portuguese among younger generations.
Since its launch in 2021, “Alphabet & Friends” has attracted approximately 12,000 participants, strengthening Macau’s role as a platform for intercultural dialogue through literature, education and the arts.
