The first plenary meeting for the Application of Macao, China for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Committee ('Macao's Application Committee') was held on 19^th January, 2017 at the Tourism Activities Centre. The application progress was reported during the meeting, followed by a discussion of the specific direction and policies regarding Macao's application pertaining to the field of gastronomy ('City of Gastronomy') as well as allocation of work duties, and so on.

During the meeting, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture and Chairman for Macao's Application Committee, Alexis Tam, said the undertaking is one of the SAR Government's major endeavours this year to proceed with Macao's application for designation as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. He noted that the Central Government, including the Ministry of Education and the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, has on several occasions clearly indicated its full support of Macao's application for designation as a City of Gastronomy.

If Macao is successfully designated as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy it will lend significant international brand stature for Macao, which will have far-reaching significance and serve as a powerful impetus for Macao's transformation into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Such recognition is also expected to generate the adequate diversification and sustainable development of Macao's economy.

In the meeting, Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) presented an introduction to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and reported the various first-phase preparations completed including establishment of the Application of Macao, China for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Committee last year. The Office also organized the first working group explanation session, reported the progress of preparation for application documents, visited and attended international events, and organized the 'International Gastronomy Forum, Macao 2016' last November, among other initiatives. This year, the Office will make even more strenuous efforts to prepare application documents, produce a thematic website and a feature video on gastronomy.

Macao's Application Committee also discussed certain advice regarding the specific direction and policies of Macao's application for designation as a City of Gastronomy, including Macao's future development plan and its possible contributions to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, especially regarding how to play a more significant role in the Creative Cities Network, as well as other plans, in order to carry out and make better progress in the application work.

The Macao Application Committee also discussed the allocation of roles and job duties of various members of the Working Group in order to carry out and make better progress in the application work.

The plenary meeting was also attended by the Vice Chairman of the Macao Application Committee and Head of the Working Group, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and other Committee members including President of the Management Committee of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, José Tavares, President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng, and President of the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Fanny Vong; Vice Heads of the Working Group, MGTO Deputy Directors Cecilia Tse and Cheng Wai Tong, as well as other Working Group members who are representatives of relevant government departments, academic institutes and the catering industry.