Sands China Sponsors University of Saint Joseph's 'Sea of Plastic' Exhibition

A Drop by Drop initiative
Highlighting environmental impact of plastic pollution

(Macao, Jun 19, 2023) – Organised by the Institute of Science and Environment (ISE) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and sponsored by Sands China Ltd., The Sea of Plastic: A Recycled Art Exhibition, a culmination of a year-long project focused on raising awareness about plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices, held its opening and award ceremony on June 5 at The Venetian^® Macao.

In commemoration of World Environment Day, which centred on the theme "Solutions to Plastic Pollution," the event exhibited a collection of artworks produced by local artists and participants of the Plastic Pollution Artwork competition, who are currently pursuing studies at various levels. The featured pieces emphasised the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on the environment, offering a range of interpretations of the plastic pollution in our oceans and coasts theme. All artworks have been exclusively created or composed from fully recycled or reused materials.

During the opening ceremony, Prof. Shirley Siu, the research coordinator of ISE, said: "Art has a unique power to transcend boundaries, ignite emotions, and spark conversations. Through this exhibition, we aim to harness the power of art to tell the stories of plastic's impact on our environment, wildlife, and human lives. Each artwork has been created with a purpose. It is not merely a showcase of beauty as an art per se; it is a call to action, urging us to reassess our relationship with plastic and encouraging us to adopt sustainable practices."

Sean McCreery, executive vice president of operations of Sands China Ltd., said: "At Sands China, we always strive to protect our planet by minimising our environmental impact. Conserving our water resources and protecting the local aquatic ecosystems are important issues in our Sands ECO360 global sustainable strategy. We hope that activities like this help emphasise the critical need and importance of protecting our oceans and coastal systems. We want to extend our gratitude to USJ for their dedication and efforts. By working together, not only have we raised awareness about plastic pollution, but also implemented meaningful nature-based solutions for other water-related issues."

In celebration of World Environment Day, Sands China turned off exterior lights and non-essential indoor lights at its properties on June 5 for one hour in support of the annual global event, in a bid to encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment.

Officiating guests of the ceremony were Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources of Sands China Ltd.; Prof. David Gonçalves, dean of ISE of USJ; Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and sustainability of Sands China Ltd.; Prof. Siu; and Stephanie Zhao, associate director of sustainability of Sands China Ltd.

During the ceremony, Sands China management presented awards to the winners of the Plastic Pollution Artwork competition, who represented The International School of Macao (TIS), Macao Anglican College, Lou Hau Middle School, Sacred Heart Canossian College – English Section, and USJ (see Appendix for winners list).

Some special awards were also presented during the ceremony. Green Future, an NGO dedicated to raising awareness about plastic pollution, received recognition for its outstanding participation and dedication. Tchusca Songo, an artist whose artworks contributed significantly to raising awareness about plastic pollution, was also honoured with a special award.

This event also concluded a mobile exhibition that had been on display at 12 local schools over the last seven months, reaching around 20,000 teachers and students. The exhibition involved educational talks, informative poster exhibitions, and scientific research focused on wetland ecosystems as a solution for plastic pollution and coastal defence in Macao. This event is part of the outreach initiative of the project "Wetland ecosystems: a nature-based solution for coastal protection and plastic pollution entrapment in Macao", which is supported by Clean the World and Las Vegas Sands, and developed by ISE, under the leadership of Prof. Karen Araño Tagulao, within the framework of the Drop by Drop Project, which reinvests capital from water stewardship efforts into innovative projects.

Sands China considers initiatives like Drop by Drop as a crucial part of the company's environmental sustainability efforts under the Sands ECO360 global sustainability strategy of parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp. Sands ECO360 is designed to utilise measures like energy saving, resource recycling, conservation and community engagement in order to help minimise the company's environmental impact and lead the way in sustainable building development and resort operations. More information about the programme is available at https://www.sands.com/responsibility/planet/#our-program-sands-eco360.

The Sea of Plastic: A Recycled Art Exhibition will remain open to the public until June 23 at The Venetian Macao's Circle Hall on Level 3. Visitors are encouraged to explore the captivating artworks and reflect on the urgent need to address plastic pollution for a sustainable future.

Photo caption: Guests of honour officiate the opening ceremony of "The Sea of Plastic: A Recycled Art Exhibition" June 5 at The Venetian Macao. The exhibition is the culmination of a year-long project focused on raising awareness about plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices, organised by the Institute of Science and Environment (ISE) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and sponsored by Sands China Ltd.

Left to right: Stephanie Zhao, associate director of sustainability of Sands China Ltd.; Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and sustainability of Sands China Ltd.; Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources of Sands China Ltd.; Prof. Shirley Siu, research coordinator of ISE of USJ; Prof. David Gonçalves, dean of ISE of USJ.

Photo caption: Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources of Sands China Ltd., presents one of the awards in the Plastic Pollution Artwork competition at The Venetian Macao June 5. The competition's artworks were produced by primary, secondary and tertiary students, and were exclusively created or composed from fully recycled or reused materials.

Photo caption: Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and sustainability of Sands China Ltd., presents one of the awards in the Plastic Pollution Artwork competition at The Venetian Macao June 5.

Photo caption: Stephanie Zhao, associate director of sustainability of Sands China Ltd., presents one of the awards in the Plastic Pollution Artwork competition at The Venetian Macao June 5.

Photo caption: Participants enjoy "The Sea of Plastic: A Recycled Art Exhibition" at The Venetian Macao June 5.

Photo caption: Exhibition attendees observe microplastics from mangrove sediments in Macao through a microscope at "The Sea of Plastic: A Recycled Art Exhibition" at The Venetian Macao June 5.