To celebrate the coming 41st Anniversary of the City University of Macau, historian and Associate Professor of Business Prof Priscilla Roberts delivered a public lecture titled “Forty Years on Celebration March 16, 1982: A Day to Remember” at Ho Yin Convention Centre, Taipa campus. The lecture marked the tree planting activity on March 16, 1982, at the University of East Asia (UEA), the precedence of City University of Macau (CityU Macau).

Forty years ago on March 16, diplomats from seventeen different countries each planted a tree in the grounds of what was then the University of East Asia, an event attended by former Governor Vasco de Almeida e Costa and his wife.

Eighteen days later, on April 3, 1982, the Governor returned to the University to declare its new campus officially open. Many leading figures from Macao and Hong Kong, including the former president of UEA Trust Committee, Mr Ho Yin, Mr Ma Man-kei, Dr Stanley Ho, Mr K. C. Wong, Dr Jorge Rangel, former Bishop Arquiminio da Costa, and numerous others, attended the ceremonies. During the day, the foundation stone of the Cultural Centre was laid; the K. C. Wong Library building was officially opened; and the University began its first Open Day, featuring an exhibition of teaching materials.

At the beginning of the session, Prof Jun Liu, Rector of CityU Macau, gave a remark and welcomed several distinguished guests. He stated the lecture attached importance to modern higher education and the recent history of Macao. He elaborated the need to explore its past in order to understand both its present state and its future potential.

Prof Jose Alves, Dean of the Faculty of Business, who hosted the event, then introduced Prof. Roberts. She proceeded to describe the events of the two days of March 16 and April 3, 1982, even identifying a few trees that date back to the tree planting. She then explored the long-time significance of these two days for the future direction of the University of East Asia, and the role that higher education in Macao would play in the city’s economic and cultural development and modernisation and its contributions to China’s Reform and Opening Up policies.

Distinguished guests at the event, including Prof Stephen Morgan, Rector of St. Joseph’s University; Ms Cindy Lam, Director of Alumni and Development Office; Dr Raymond Wong, Assistant Librarian of the University of Macau; Dr Manuel Noronha of the University of Macau; Ms Helen Ieong, Director of the Macau Documentation and Information Society; Mr Nuno Furtado, the Representative of Cabo Verde at the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; Ms Winnie Wong, Executive Director of British Chamber of Commerce in Macao; and Mr Luiz Padruco, a prominent Macanese community member.

Many staff and students from City University of Macau and representatives of other local institutions were present in person. Other guests from Macao, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and Britain attended remotely.

Click here to review the public lecture