An extravagant gala of dance, song, martial arts, recitation, and instrumental music was staged by Zhuhai and Macao students at Zhuhai Opera House on Dec 8 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

The gala, which began with the Song of the Seven Sons – Macao, ended with Setting off Once Again and My Motherland. It consisted of three chapters: Zhuhai and Macao in their Youth, Charming Greater Bay Area, and Forging Ahead in the New Era.

Featured were classics including Me and My Motherland, A Common Home, and Thumbs-Up to the New Era, as well as original Macao art works. The folk dance Spirit of War demonstrated the increased familiarity of Macao youth with the traditional culture and art of the motherland.

Evening gala [Photo by Zhu Xi / Zhuhai Daily]

Scene performances during the break also unveiled Macao's active integration into the national development scheme and cooperation with Zhuhai.

Expectations are that the event will encourage further exchanges between youth of Zhuhai and Macao, while inspiring them to devote themselves to building the Greater Bay Area and realizing the Chinese Dream.

The gala was handled by the Zhuhai Youth Federation, Zhuhai Education Bureau, and Zhuhai Students' Federation under the umbrella of the Zhuhai Municipal People's Government and Guangdong Youth Federation. The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Guangdong Provincial People's Government, and All-China Students' Federation provided guidance.

Deputy director of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Luo Yonggang; Zhuhai Party Chief Guo Yonghang; Mayor Yao Yisheng; CPPCC Zhuhai Municipal Committee Chairman Chen Honghui; and other senior officials and executives attended the event.

As an embodiment of long-lasting youth friendship, a memorial stone in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Macao's return was erected by the Macao and Zhuhai Youth federations, and unveiled at Macao's Return Memorial Park west of the Qianshan Interchange in Nanping on Dec 7.

Hundreds of Zhuhai and Macao attendees wrote down their expectations and blessings that day. Their messages were put into memorial envelopes released by the two federations as a letter to themselves 20 years in the future.