'Museums and Cultural Landscapes' is the theme of this year's International Museum Day - held, as every year, on 18^th May - and underlines the responsibility of museums to not only their collections but the environment, cities, towns and communities they are an inherent part of. It further calls upon museums to promote and communicate on both their own collections and the cultural and natural heritage that surrounds them, as it is believed museums of all types can contribute to the sustainable development of their communities by strengthening the ties between citizens and the environment.

In response to the International Museum Day theme, and to comply with its objectives the Maritime Museum, Macao Museum and Macao Communications Museum are co-operating together to promote themselves via a photography competition sub-themed 'The Mobile Museum - Coexistence of Chinese and Western Cultures in Macao'.

The territory's 18 local museums will co-operate in holding the 'Macao International Museum Day Carnival, 2016' in Calçada da Igreja de São Lázaro, serving to 'connect' the environs, historic buildings and cultural atmosphere, turning the street into a veritable 'Mobile Museum'. For promoting local museum to both visitors and citizens, a series of exhibitions, lectures, workshops and free open day will be held. For more information, please visit: www.museums.gov.mo/eng/home.html, or follow IC or MGTO official WeChat accounts.

The International Council of Museums established International Museum Day in 1977 to encourage public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society per the credo: 'Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, co-operation and peace among peoples'. Traditionally, International Museum Day is organized around 18^th May, with a series of events lasting for a day, a weekend or a whole week.