Sands China Supports Local NGOs at 2022 Sands Shopping Carnival

Free booths at the three-day event and fun activities with Sands Cares Ambassadors

(Macao, Sept. 15, 2022) – Sands China Ltd. invited several local community organisations to participate in the 2022 Sands Shopping Carnival Sept. 10-12 at The Venetian^® Macao's Cotai Expo, as part of the company's ongoing community engagement efforts.

Around 80 Sands Cares Ambassadors volunteered to give on-site support to the community groups during the festival, helping them operate booths and accompanying their members to enjoy some of the festival's attractions. In total, the Ambassadors contributed about 200 hours of volunteer service during the carnival.

The free-admission Sands Shopping Carnival is the largest sale event in Macao, and supports the Macao SAR government's Consume for the Economy initiative and consumption e-voucher scheme. The carnival provides a free business platform for local SMEs and Sands retailers to help accelerate business resurgence, while at the same time helping local community organisations promote social inclusion.

Four community organisations ran booths at the carnival's Cultural, Creative and IP Zone: Fuhong Society of Macau, Macau Special Olympics (MSO), Everyone Stray Dogs Macau Volunteer Group, and the Macau Association of the Parents of the Mentally Handicapped. The carnival provided them with an opportunity to gain more exposure in the community and to raise awareness about their missions and support services.

Throughout the three-day event, a group of MSO members had the chance to role-play as news reporters and editors – doing interviews, taking photographs, and shooting video – so they could then write, edit and do post-production for their news reports.

At the carnival's popular Little Master Chef Workshop, Sands Cares Ambassadors accompanied members of the Women's General Association of Macau to join a siew mai wrapping workshop and helped students from Escola Tong Sin Tong Primary School decorate madeleines. The Ambassadors also took the Tong Sin Tong students and members of the Bosco Youth Service Network to play at some of the carnival's game booths.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: "Sands China is pleased that this year's carnival was again able to provide a platform for local NGOs to raise awareness of their work, to promote social inclusion, and to share the fruits of social development, which have made this event even more meaningful. Our thanks go to our Sands Cares Ambassadors for their efforts and support, and to the participating organisations for their collaboration."

Sharon Lee, a participating Sands Cares Ambassador, said: "This is the first time I've helped escort community organisations around the carnival. Their families had a lot of fun, which made my volunteering service feel worthwhile. I'm happy to see my company continue to host social inclusion activities, and I am looking forward to volunteering for more community service."

The 2022 Sands Shopping Carnival featured over 530 booths this year. The carnival offered an exciting weekend destination for local residents and tourists, with its three days of shopping, games, activities and entertainment attracting more than 100,000 visits. Among its many attractions, the carnival included the Karaoke King Singing Competition and the Street Dance Competition, 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: Sands Cares Ambassadors give on-site support to a community group Sept. 10 at the 2022 Sands Shopping Carnival. Around 80 Ambassadors volunteered to help community groups operate booths and accompany their members to enjoy the festival's attractions.