Inauguration of the “Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao” – Reopening of the Village of Our Lady of Ka Ho
In order to showcase the achievements of the restoration, use and revitalisation of heritage buildings to the public, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) will present the “Land of Hope – Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao” – Reopening of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho. The opening ceremony will be held on 6 November (Saturday) at 2pm, at the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho. The exhibition is open on a permanent basis from the same day and the public is welcome to visit.
Since 2013, IC has been carrying out the restoration works of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, in phases. Before the restoration and revitalisation, the five houses and the former recreation room were damaged and ageing in varying degrees, even being riddled with parasitic plants, as they had been left vacant and in a state of disrepair for many years. IC conducted comprehensive structural exams and analysis, restoring each building, based on their original material and layout. The structural consolidation has now been completed. In parallel, at the end of last year, IC initiated the procedures related to the 3rd Group of Immovable Heritage of Macao, including the proposed classification of the Village of Our Lady in Ká-Hó and the former recreation room, as well as the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, more recently announcing that the aforementioned properties have now been inscribed on the List of Classified Immovable Cultural Heritage.
In order to better utilise and revitalise the heritage buildings, and to enhance the public’s understanding of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, IC holds the exhibition “Land of Hope – Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao” at the former activity centre and the adjacent house, showcasing nearly one hundred selected archives and related materials from the collections of the Archives of Macao. The exhibition presents a study of the development of Macao’s leprosy treatment facilities, outlining the history of leprosy treatments in Macao and providing important traces for future research on the history and development of leprosy treatments in Macao. Meanwhile, the exhibition also demonstrates Macao as a leprosy pioneer in the field of relief and rehabilitation, as well as the spread of humanitarianism in Macao. The exhibition is divided into two sections, including the permanent exhibition at the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, which is open to the public from 6 November and closes on Wednesdays, as well as the exhibition at the Archives of Macao, which is open from 6 November to 6 May 2022 and closes on Mondays and public holidays. The opening hours of both exhibition sections are from 10am to 6pm.
During the exhibition period, a number of thematic talks will be held. The first thematic talks will be held at 3:30pm on the day of the opening at the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho. A shuttle bus service will be provided for registered participants at 2:30pm on the day of the opening, at the Archives of Macao, and participants are advised to arrive punctually. In addition, the Exhibition Catalogue of Land of Hope – Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao priced at MOP190, will be on sale with discounts on the day of the opening.
IC will closely monitor the development of the pandemic, follow the relevant guidelines of the Health Bureau and implement appropriate measures in a timely manner. The public is advised to co-operate with the crowd control measures and everyone must wear their own masks, undergo body temperature checks, and present their health codes of the day upon entry. IC urges the public to visit the cultural facilities at different times, pay attention to personal and environmental hygiene and maintain social distancing after entering the venues.
For more information, please visit the website of the Archives of Macao at www.archives.gov.mo, “IC Art” page on Facebook and its official WeChat account “IC_Art_Macao”.
