Edmund Ho: Macao’s success in World Cultutal Heritage application has great significance

It has great and profound significance for the Historic Centre of Macao to be listed as World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said today. Mr Ho said this in a message this afternoon after UNESCO announced that Macao’s application for the Historic Centre of Macao to be listed had been successful. “I am very glad to share this honour with everyone across the country and in Macao and on behalf of everyone, I would like to express the deepest gratitude to UNESCO. “Ever since the beginning of the application, the Central Government has fully stand by the Macao Special Administrative Region Government by putting the Historic Centre of Macao as the sole item in this year’s list. “As the application proceeded, advises given by historical relic specialists from the Mainland and overseas have refined and enhanced the application project. All this support is encouraging to the people of Macao. “The Historic Centre of Macao, being a unique gem of Macao, had is a testament to the merging of Chinese and Western cultures on Chinese soil. “The application has raised the awareness of Macao people in the protection of historical monuments and the success is the fruit of our collective effort. We believe that Macao people will love their home more and actively protect and promote our historical heritage,” Mr Ho said. Mr Ho pledged that the SAR Government would continue to protect and promote these precious heritages, which belong to Macao and the whole country, so more people would understand and value Macao’s historical and cultural significance.