The Taipei First Girls High School marching band will join more than 1,000 performers from around the world to perform in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo next month, which will mark the 60th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II of England.
The school's team is the only one from Asia to have been invited to perform at the festival. The marching band will send 135 students to Scotland to give 24 performances from Aug. 3 to Aug. 25, and take part in the Edinburgh Festival's Cavalcade on Aug. 5 and Glasgow march on Aug. 7, which will also host smaller musical performances.
"The marching band has become a symbol of national pride with its famous performances. I expect all of you to demonstrate the energy of Taiwanese girls and make Taiwan shine on the international stage," Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said, giving his blessing to the band yesterday during a flag presentation ceremony held at the school.
PHOTO: CNA
Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳), who joined Hau to present the national flag to the marching band, also lauded it for passing the Edinburgh Military Tattoo's two-year screening process to be invited as one of the participants.
In response to concerns about possible disapproval from China, Hau said that the festival's invitation was done under a city-to-city exchange, and thus would be unlikely to prompt China to interrupt the school's performance.
The Taipei First Girls High School marching band has also been invited to give performances in Japan, Singapore, South Africa, the US, the UK and China since its performance at the Pasadena Rose Parade in California in 1996.
Part of the Edinburgh Festival in August, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual show of military bands along with several other groups in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
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