Over 30,000 Macao citizens hit the street Sunday morning in the
Special Administrative Region's (SAR) largest annual parade to
raise fund for the needy.
The parade, which has entered the 20th year, was headed by
Macao's Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah and other senior
officials from the SAR government Sunday, all in casual clothes or
sportswear. Donations raised for this year from the activity have
accumulated to over 5.8 million patacas (US$725,000), which
included Ho's personal offer of 100,000
patacas?(US$12,500).
Founded by the Macao News Daily Readers' Fund in 1984, the
parade was held annually in a fund-raising promotion for the needy
who suffer from poverty, natural or accidental disasters. The
endeavor has been strongly supported by the SAR government since
its founding in 1999 with many senior SAR officials and public
organizations taking part in the charity parade every year to help
call on public participation.
The route of the parade covered three kilometers along Macao's
seaside avenue to end at the Ama Temple, Macao's oldest temple of
fishermen's tutelary -- the Goddess Ama, which is called A-ma-gao
in local dialect. The English name of Macao was derived from the
pronunciation.
(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2003)