Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau created a short film titled The Invisible Self, to draw public’s attention to mental health and foster discussions about this topic. On 29^th November 2023, MCM College resident fellow and film producer, Alice Hong, crew members and social worker, Yan Leong went to Colégio Mateus Ricci for the first stop of the school tour screening, targeting 600 Form 1 to Form 6 students. The Invisible Self is a film about self-acceptance, embracing both the positive and negative aspects of oneself, and establishing a connection with one’s inner self. Most of the main roles in this film and the behind-the-scenes staff are played by MCM College members, while the script was co-written by local director, Steven U and second-year college student, Celina Wang (Department of Portuguese). The inspiration of this short film originated from the Chinese poem White Night written by Prof. Yao Jingming in the Department of Portuguese.

In the post-screening session, the film’s producer, director, screenwriter, actor and social worker interacted with the audience and shared some issues about mental health, such as emotional suppression, stress symptoms and management, childhood shadow, which aroused the audience’s deep thinking.  The screening was well received by students and teachers of the school.

“From the film, I learned about self-acceptance and how to face setbacks in life, such as unsatisfactory results in exams or competitions, not to have self-doubt, just accept one’s own shortcomings.” – Kyle Ao (Form 2 student)

“This film reminded me that when I encounter some stressful events that I cannot solve on my own, I can seek help from social worker, teachers or people around me. Even if the problem cannot be completely solved, it can ease my emotions and make me feel better, allowing me to have a better position to face the next challenge.” – Eve Cheong (Form 3 Student)

“Each of us has different aspects, and we all have positive and negative emotions. In today’s life, most people tend to suppress their emotions and think that negative emotions are bad. Past experiences shaped who we are today, so we should learn to accept all aspects of ourselves.” – Bianca Lio (Pastoral Coordinator)

Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau held a cultural night on 25^th November 2023 at the Student Activity Centre Theatre, with the theme, “Performing in Between the Lines”.  This event showcased students’ talents, and enhanced communication through music and dance. The event attracted many college students and presented 10 wonderful performance including MCMC choir, ISCREAM band, dance interest groups, and some individual songs and dances selected by college students. Their performances fully demonstrated youthful vitality and presented a visual and auditory feast to the audience.  While listening to the music, the audience waved their fluorescent sticks to the beat and cheered for the performers. College academic staff and non-resident fellows and affiliates attended the event.

Text: Cynthia Jiang

Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau, invited Lam Wai Hong, a local musician and one of the lecturers of the Cultural Lecture Series (Palestras Sobre Temas Culturais), to share his insights on the topic “Electronic Music and Its Possibilities.” The lecture attracted a large number of students.

With the advancement of technology, the forms of music composition and performance have been continuously evolving, transitioning from traditional physical instruments to electronic music. During the lecture, Mr. Lam delved into various genres and performance modes of electronic music, providing students with the opportunity to personally operate MIDI controllers and experience the charm of electronic instruments.

Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau and UMSY Tchoukball Club jointly organised a tchoukball experience event on 23 November 2023. This event invited Necholas Ngai, President of the UMSY Tchouball Club, to lead everyone in this experience. Tchoukball, is a novel ball game invented in 1970 by a Swiss biologist, Hermann Brandt. It combines the characteristics of basketball, handball, volleyball and squash, and focuses on zero body contact while reducing sports injuries. It also contains explosive beauty and team work.

Text: Gabriel Tan

Guia House of Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau held a “movie night” on 23^rd November 2023.  The movie selected was “Good Will Hunting”, which aimed to increase viewers’ psychological knowledge through movie appreciation, and apply it to personal growth. This acclaimed film, “Good Will Hunting”, has its gripping plot and superb acting skills. It tells the story of a headstrong young man who struggles to find his identity.

During the post-screening session, Resident Fellow, Ms. Alice Hong discussed the plot and psychological issues that surfaced in the movie.  From the perspective of attachment theory, she deeply analyzed the psychological journey of the male protagonist in the movie and the psychological counseling skills of the therapist, allowing viewers to have a deeper understanding and thinking about the theme message of the movie. Viewers expressed that they gained a deeper understanding of their inner world and the importance of self-acceptance.

Text: Iris Dai

Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau collaborated with Centre for Macau Studies (CMS) to host “Macao’s Economic Outlook, and Introduction to the Greater Bay Area and Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin ” talk on 22 November 2023.  Prof. Henry Chun Kwok LEI, Associate Professor in Business Economics was invited as guest speaker for the educational talk.  He shared lots of insightful details about the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin & the Greater Bay Area (GBA), and economic diversification of Macao. The participants agreed that the talk was quite informative and hence quite a lot of queries and interactions had been raised during the sharing session.

University of Macau Moon Chun Memorial College’s Dom Pedro V House student leaders organized an exciting canvas bag DIY event on November 5, 2023, for MCMC students. This event provided a platform for students to showcase their creative and artistic talents, resulting in a memorable experience for all involved.

One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity for participants to paint on canvas bags using acrylic paints and markers. They were able to draw a variety of beautiful patterns and images on the bags, showcasing their unique artistic styles and preferences. From simple geometric shapes to complex landscapes, the creativity and imagination of the students shone through.

In addition to painting, student leaders also provided a variety of collage fabrics for participants to use. This gave them the chance to incorporate their own personalities and styles into the bags, creating something truly unique and personal.

The DIY activity encouraged students to explore their artistic potential and express themselves through creativity, promoting interaction and communication among MCMC members. At the end of the program, participants proudly displayed their works, showcasing diverse creativity and unique designs. These canvas bags not only serve a practical purpose as shopping bags but also make fashionable accessories that showcase individuality and fashion sense.

Text: Yifan YING

In response to the Second Chinese Culture Festival held by Centre for Chinese History and Culture (FAH), Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau, collaborated with  Chinese Cultural Industries Promotion Association and Na Tcha Temple Association, to  co-organise “A Beautiful Journey” documentary screening of Na Tcha Customs and Beliefs on 14^th November 2023 at the college’ Fellows’ Salon.  This was followed by post-screening talk, which was held to promote students’ understanding of Macao’s Na Tcha customs and beliefs culture. There were forty attendees, including: Prof. Kwok-cheung Cheung, Interim Master of Moon Chun Memorial College, Prof. Zhu Shoutong, Director of UM Center for Chinese History and Culture, Mr. Paul Pang, UM Dean of Student, Mr. Waison Ho, Director General of the Chinese Cultural Industries Promotion and producer of the documentary, Mr. Yip Tat, Chairman of Na Tcha Temple Association, Steven U, director of the documentary.

This documentary shows the preparation and after Feast of Na Tcha. Ho pointed out that Macau has its own unique festive cultural content, which is attractive to overseas tourists, and his Association hopes to use this documentary to promote the development of Macau’s culture, tourism and economy. U said that this documentary connects the nostalgia of the neighborhood with the cultural heritage and preservation spirit of Na Tcha’s customs and beliefs, demonstrating the vitality and energy of customs and beliefs heritage through the lens. Yip said that the preservation of Na Tcha religious and customary culture does not only rely on individual strength, but also requires the help of the masses and collective unity to move forward. Zhu said that Na Tcha Customs and Belief of Macao is a unique local folk belief, which was inscribed on the “National Intangible Cultural Heritage List” by UNESCO in 2014. This is something that Macau people should feel confident and proud of.

In response to the passage of the “Patriotism Education Law of the People’s Republic of China”, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau invited College Affiliate, Dr. Lai Kuan Ju (Research Assistant Professor from the Faculty of Law) to give a lecture titled “Viewing the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China from the perspective of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” on 16 November 2023, to enhance students’ understanding of “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” (the main teaching content mentioned in Article 6). The lecture attracted twenty students from across the residential colleges and was well received by them.

Dr. Lai first talked about the origin and development of socialism in Europe after the industrial revolution from an ideological perspective, and then how capitalist countries used colonialism to transfer the contradictions between rich and poor within European industrialized countries to the international society, resulting in China’s facing the dilemma of internal and external pressures. China finally relied on the experience of the development of socialism in Europe, localized it and applied it to China’s development.  Lastly, Dr. Lai further explained the phased tasks of socialism in the “new era”.

Youth and vitality go hand in hand with teenagers aged 12 to 18, representing one of the most wonderful stages in life. In response to University of Macau Mental Health Awareness Month, Sheng Kung Hui Macau, in collaboration with the UM’s Chao Kuang Piu College, Choi Kai Yau College, Cheng Yu Tung College, Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College, Moon Chun Memorial College, Stanley Ho East Asia College, and the Student Affairs Office’s Counseling Center, held the “Share Love Music Stage” concert on the evening of November 10th.  This concert provided a platform for teenagers and college students to connect through music, encouraging them to pursue personal interests, find a balance in life, and believe in their own abilities. Through music, they want to spread positive messages to others and the community.

Fifteen teams performed at the concert, creating a captivating exchange of musical charm. The finale performance featured Felix, the lead singer of Daze in white and former members of Valley Belly, who brought the concert to a climatic peak. In addition to the musical performances, the event also featured handicraft booths, offering young people opportunities to showcase their talents. The aim of these activities is to inspire confidence and unlock the potential of teenagers, providing them with opportunities to grow and glow.