|
OCAC appoints US citizen John Conklin as special adviser
RECOGNITION:
OCAC said Conklin, who has served as chief of the FAPA Indiana Chapter for a year, has done much to promote Taiwan's voice
STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA, NEW YORK
Monday, Feb 04, 2008, Page 3
A US citizen who last year became head of the Indiana Chapter of the pro-independence Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) was appointed as an adviser to the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC) on Saturday.
Founded in 1926, the OCAC provides support to overseas compatriot communities.
John Conklin, who has served as chief of the FAPA Indiana Chapter since early last year, was presented with a certificate by Cheng Chieh-sung (鄭介松), director of the OCAC office in Chicago, during a Lunar New Year celebration held at the Taiwan Association in Indiana on Saturday.
TIRELESS
During the ceremony, Cheng said that over the past year, Conklin, who is married to a Taiwanese citizen, had spared no efforts to make the voices of Taiwanese heard in the Indiana state legislature and elsewhere.
Conklin has also helped boost Taiwan's diplomatic efforts in the US and was instrumental in arranging for speeches by Taiwan's top representative to the US, Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), at an educational institute and a public affairs organization in Indiana last month, Cheng said.
HONOR
For his part, Conklin said it was a great honor to be appointed by the OCAO as an adviser. The appointment is a token of the Taiwan administration's recognition of the efforts made by members of the Taiwanese community in Indiana, he said.
Meanwhile, Cheng praised the Taiwan Association in Indiana for organizing a Week of Taiwan Traditions last May, showcasing various a aspects of Taiwanese folklore, including a lion dance performed by a troupe from Taiwan.
UN BID
Last August, he said, the Taiwan Association in Indiana invited more than 30 representatives of Taiwanese civic groups from 10 major cities in seven Midwestern states to speak for Taiwan's bid to enter the UN under the name "Taiwan."
The representatives also traveled to New York to take part in activities to champion the Taiwan cause there, he said.
In November, he said, the Taiwan Association took part in an international Cultural Festival sponsored by the Indiana state government and was crowned the champion of the festival with an entry on Taiwan's education and traditions.
This story has been viewed 1317 times.
|
Print
Mail
wiki links