Sands China Supports Community Groups at 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival

Booths at the three-day event and activities with Sands Cares Ambassadors

(Macao, July 28, 2021) – As part of its ongoing community engagement work, Sands China Ltd. invited several local community organisations to participate in the 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival July 23-25 at The Venetian^® Macao. Nearly 100 of the company's Sands Cares Ambassadors provided on-site support at the event, including manning booths for local community organisations, contributing 300 hours of voluntary service over three days.

In addition, local community groups had a chance to enjoy the carnival before it opened to the public, with an exclusive invitation-only early-access session on July 22.

The free-admission weekend carnival at Cotai Expo featured over 560 booths and was the largest sale event in Macao, in support of the Macao SAR government's Consume for the Economy initiative and consumption e-voucher scheme. It provided a free business platform for local SMEs, Sands retailers and community organisations amid the pandemic period and offered an exciting weekend destination for local residents and tourists that featured shopping, food, games, activities and entertainment, while at the same time promoting social inclusion.

At the carnival's Food Court, three social enterprises sold food and drinks: Fuhong Society of Macau's Corner of Portuguese Cuisine Cantinho Luso, the Macau Association for the Mentally Handicapped's Casa de Petisco "Sam Meng Chi," and the Association of Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers of Macau's "Hold On To Hope" Cafe. The three restaurants offer vocational training services for their organisations' service users; the carnival was an opportunity for the restaurants to gain exposure in the local commercial market and to create job opportunities for their members.

Additionally, five community organisations ran booths at the carnival's Cultural & Creative Zone: Macau Special Olympics, Everyone Stray Dogs Macau Volunteer Group, Richmond Fellowship of Macau's The Corner Shop, the Social Service of Macau Methodist Church's SJ program, and Fuhong Society of Macau.

And throughout the three-day event, some Macau Special Olympics members had the chance to role-play as news reporters.

On July 23 and 25, Sands Cares Ambassadors accompanied members of the Macau Autism Association, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Escola Tong Sin Tong Primary School, and the Macau Down Syndrome Association to the carnival's Play and Fun Kids Area and the Little Master Chef Workshop. Together they played carnival versions of games like bowling, billiards and basketball, and decorated cupcakes and éclairs.

"Sands China is very pleased to once again work with local community groups to promote social inclusion at this year's Sands Shopping Carnival," said Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd. "Our gratitude goes to the Sands Cares Ambassadors for continuing to volunteer their time to provide support where needed, and we are glad to see Macao's social enterprises represented again at this year's event."

One of the participating Sands Cares Ambassadors Zhou Ya Qing said: "I was very excited to be here once again this year with some of the community groups to help them enjoy the carnival, in addition to manning booths for them. It was especially pleasing to see their joyful faces again. Both of these experiences have left lasting impressions on me."

Among its many attractions, the 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival also included the Karaoke King Singing Competition 2021, lucky draws, MOP 1 products, and deals up to 90 per cent off.

Sands China's community work is part of Sands Cares, the global corporate citizenship programme of parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Photo caption: Members of the Macau Autism Association, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Escola Tong Sin Tong Primary School, and the Macau Down Syndrome Association play carnival versions of games like bowling, billiards and basketball with Sands Cares Ambassadors at the carnival's Play and Fun Kids Area at The Venetian Macao's Cotai Expo, as part of the 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival.

Photo caption: Members of the Macau Autism Association, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Escola Tong Sin Tong Primary School, and the Macau Down Syndrome Association decorate cupcakes and éclairs with Sands Cares Ambassadors at the Little Master Chef Workshop at The Venetian Macao's Cotai Expo, as part of the 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival.

Photo caption: At the invitation of Sands China, some Macau Special Olympics members visit the 2021 Sands Shopping Carnival and role-play as news reporters.