Chen, UNESCO man shares experiences in preserving culture

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) shared his experiences in preserving Taiwan's heritage when he received a top advisor to the nation's Council of Cultu-ral Affairs yesterday.

The president welcomed Yukio Nishimura, a Japanese professor who also does screening for UNESCO on which of the world's cultural heritage sites should be named World Heritage Sites.

Nishimura is in Taiwan to take part in the council's project to promote Orchid Island as a world-class heritage site.

Chen hoped that Nishimura would offer his views on how to build Taiwan into a "green silicon island" which will combine natural beauty and the human arts with Taiwan's technological development.

The president said that while he served as Taipei mayor, he had envisioned turning the last part of the wetlands in Taipei City into the city's first urban natural park.

He therefore bought 50-hectares of wetlands to establish a natural habitat for birds and for people to enjoy the outdoors.

To preserve the old city government building located behind the Taipei Railway Station, the president said that he turned it into a museum and a school, serving both education and cultural purposes.

Chen also noted that the public bath in Peitou was turned into a hot spring museum, the official residence of the Taipei mayor was redecorated to serve as an art salon and the dilapidated Red Chamber Theater became a film museum.

All of them, said the president, are part of the memory of Taiwan and keep the country's spirit alive.

He also said that the Chinese cypresses in the Chilai Mountain area in northern Taiwan are world-class landscapes, which should not only be the pride of the Taiwan people, but a legacy for future generations.

Nishimura said that he is always impressed by Taiwan on each of his visits over the past decade, especially with the changing landscape of the streets and the spontaneity and dynamism from the private sector.

He also found that many highlights of Taiwan's history still exist, citing Mt. Ali forest railroad, the breweries of Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp that he described as a unique part of Taiwan.

Nishimura, accompanied by council chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou (陳郁秀), hoped that he could contribute to the urban revitalization and the preservation of these valuable sites.