Maria José de Freitas
Biography and Presentation
PRESIDENT
ICOMOS ISC-SBH 2021-2023

Contacts: +853 66868118 (Macau) +351 919893999 (Lisbon)
WhatsApp and WeChat: +853 66868118
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.aetecnet.com

Academic Qualifications

Graduate of Superior School of Architecture (Lisbon, Portugal)
HIA- Heritage Impact assessment, certificated by UNESCO, University of Hong Kong, 2014.
PhD Researcher for the program World Heritage of Portuguese Influence, at CES, University of Coimbra, Portugal, with a thesis focused on Macau’s Identity 20 years after the handover.

Professional Activity (World Heritage Highlights)

I am active professional with offices in Macau and Lisbon, where I work with people of different nationalities, always focused in protecting architectural heritage. I am the author of a variety of Renovation projects, in Portugal, China Mainland and Macau.
I received the ARCASIA AWARD, in the category of Architectural Renovation in 2002, with the project of Musealization of 5 Heritage Houses, at Taipa Island, Macau.
In 1993 I did the project for Renovation of D. Pedro V, Theatre, in Macau, included in the Macau Heritage List, UNESCO, 2005.
In 1994 I was in charge of the Coordination of Revitalization of St. Paul’s Ruins, also comprised in the Macau Heritage List, UNESCO, 2005.
From 2003 to 2005, as Coordinator of the Sintra World Heritage Centre, I was responsible for the Management Plan of Sintra Cultural Landscape, included in UNESCO Heritage List since 1995.
In 2013 during the 8th Silk Road Mayors Forum, I was appointed Ambassador of WCO (World Citizens Organization).
As part of the Script Road Festival in 2018 I curated the conference and exhibition, named River Cities Crossing Borders: History and Strategies, in 2019 I curated the conference Contextualizing the City: Architecture as a new Grammar.

Academic Duties

Being aware of the need to introduce HIA - Heritage Impact Assessments - when practicing in classified areas, I am a regular visiting academic in St Joseph University, Macau, giving lectures on this theme.
Published several articles in cultural and academic magazines available in my website.
Member of: ICOMOS, AAHM, OA, AAM, UIA, AIA.

Published Works

• Freitas, M. J. (2021). Macau e os novos desafios: Belt and Road Initiative e Greater Bay Area. Diálogos Interculturais Portugal-China2, Vol. I Rotas e raízes de um diálogo distante. Macau: IIIM-Instituto Internacional de Macau, IC-UA-Instituto Confúcio U. de Aveiro.
• Freitas, M. J. (2020). The Maritime Silk Road: The role played by Portugal and Macao, in Revista de Cultura (International Edition), 63, 40-53.
• Freitas, M. J. de (2016). Macau Património Mundial: do Material ao Imaterial, como se moldaram 5 séculos de convivência cultural, in Património suas matérias e imatérias. Lisboa: LNEC.
• Freitas, M. J. (2016). The Silk Road: A Sustainable Cultural Route, in Heritage 2016 - Book of Abstracts. Lisboa: Green Lines Institute.
• Freitas, Maria José de (2015). Das Casas de Câmara e Cadeia ao Leal Senado de Macau: Um percurso de reciprocidades, in Revista de Cultura, International Edition 50. Macau.
• Freitas, M. J. (2015). Macau nos Séculos XIX e XX: a Oriente do Império. DPIP3-IP2. Coimbra: CES-UC.
• Freitas, M. J. (2015). Das Casas de Câmara e Cadeia ao Leal Senado de Macau: um percurso de reciprocidades, in Revista de Cultura (International Edition), 50, 104-123.
• Freitas, M. J. (2014). Dealing with Baggage of Memories in Macau after the Portuguese Administration. Workshop Shared Built Heritage Revisited, International Council of Monuments and Sites, Florence, Italy.
• Freitas, M. J. (2002). Património e Futuro em Macau. Actas da V Semana Cultural da China. Lisboa: ISCSP.
• Freitas, M. J. (1999), Arquitetura em Transição, in Revista de Cultura 38/39 (II Série): 193-220. Macau: Cultural Institute.
• Works published in the book “Macau Contemporary Architecture”, dedicated to the XX UIA World Congress, Beijing.
• Works published in JA – Architects Journal, architectural magazine under the rubric of architectural renovation, relative to the Contemporary Art Centre of Macau – CACOM.
  
  

Conferences & Exhibitions

• 2022 "The Maritime Silk Road: The Role Played by Macao", presentation in the Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Forum promoted by UNESCO, Macao 2022.
• 2021 “Industrial Heritage as source for a new future: MACAU LAI CHI VUN Shipyards as case study”, 10th Crossover Forum Icomos-Wuhan, China, October 2021.
• 2019 “ConTEXTtualising the City”, Curator of Conferences Script Road Festival, Macau 2021.
• 2019 “Macau and the New Challenges: Greater PRD and the OBOR initiatives”, II International Congress “Portugal-China Intercultural Dialogues”, Aveiro, March 2019.
• 2019 “Background of Space and Construction Culture: Macau an old city in the Making Process”. El Jadida, Morocco 2019.
• 2018 “RIVERCITIES Crossing Borders”, Curator of Conferences and Exhibition during the Script Road Festival in Macau 2018.
• 2018 “Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development”, 7th CROSSOVER FORUM ICOMOS-WUHAN, China, October 2018.
• 2018 IASTE 2018 - The politics Of Tradition, Portugal, October 2018.
• 2017 “The Case of MONG HA and its Surroundings”, Macau, March 2017.
• 2017 “How MARITIME ROUTES can promote CULTURAL CONNECTIONS: MACAU as case study”, ICOMOS Preserving Transcultural Heritage: Your Way or My Way, Lisbon, July 2017
• 2014 “MAKING-OF | Architectural approach: challenges off a project taking form”. Curator of Exhibition and Conference in the Macau Creative Centre, MAM, Macau 2014.
• 1999 Exhibition of Architecture. VII International Congress of CIALP, CAT, Macau.
  
  

Objectives as President ICOMOS ISCSBH

Living between Macau and Portugal I presented my candidacy for President of ISCSBH because I believe that I can forward the shared heritage meaning, protection and experience.
I am a person committed to safeguard and promote heritage inheritances, namely those shared by people of different cultures, I am determined to protect what I believe in, able to work with multidisciplinary teams, instilling my enthusiasm and motivation to promote a good patrimonial protection of cultural heritage.
The action plan put to the consideration of the members, respecting the principles of ICOMOS International, reveals the concern with the protection of the shared built heritage, the will to include more members in our scientific group, the maintenance of a proactive relationship with similar organizations and, above all, a belief that protecting the past we are safeguarding the future.

Maria José de Freitas

Lisbon, January, 2023