The Macau Ricci Institute is focused on Macau’s historic role as a privileged door to China. It served as the crossroad of missionaries and a hub of cultural exchange between China and the West. Inspired by the life of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) who became a true friend of China, the Macau Ricci Institute studies and promotes dialogue between the wisdom traditions of China, including Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam, and the Christian faith in modern society. The Institute seeks to build bridges between China and the West. Macau continues to offer a unique door to China and has a distinct history of facilitating dialogue between different cultures and China. The Macau Ricci Institute is an independent research institute which is affiliated with the University of Saint Joseph, Macau, and has developed programs of cooperation in the fields of teaching and research, as well as hosted jointly sponsored conferences promoting these fields.