Vice Consul and Acting Head of Post Elaine Mae V. Laruan-Hernandez led the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen’s delegation at the 23rd China Meizhou Mazu Cultural Tourism Festival and the 6th Global Mazu Forum held in Meizhou Island, Putian City, Fujian Province from 31 October to 01 November 2021.
Guests, tourists and worshippers come to Meizhou Island for the annual activities to pay homage to Mazu, Chinese sea goddess at the Mazu Temple and attended a memorial ceremony for the goddess who had profound and extensive influence not only among the people in the southeastern coastal areas of China and Taiwan, but also to different countries especially South East Asia, including the Philippines.
During the cultural festival opening ceremony, performers dressed in festive traditional costumes performed a sacrificial ceremony to pay tribute to Goddess Mazu.
Shortly after the festival, the invitees proceeded to the 6th Global Mazu Culture Forum held at the PingAn Assembly Hall, Permanent Venue of Global Mazu Culture Forum, Meizhou Island. In attendance were VIP guests who included high ranking Chinese government officials, diplomats representing Slovakia, Thailand and the Philippines and representatives of various local and foreign sectors extended congratulatory messages through letters and recorded videos.
Mazu belief and customs was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2009.
The said activities were co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the People's Government of Fujian Province. END
