SOCIETY
Canada D’eh set for June 27
The 2009 annual Canada D’eh Beach Party will be held on Saturday, June 27, at Shalun (沙崙) Beach near Tamsui (淡水) from noon to midnight, rain or shine. This year, along with fireworks, games, drinks and food, Grammy nominee Colby O’Donis will be among the musicians providing live entertainment. Tickets range from NT$450 for a single adult to NT$950 for family pack of two adults and two children and are on sale now. More information is available at www.canadiansociety.org.tw. Meanwhile, the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and the Taichung City Government are inviting everyone to take part in a series of events from June 30 to July 5 in Taichung in celebration of Canada Day. The week-long series will feature an environmental film festival at the National Museum of Art, a street festival and a Canada Food Promotion. Details are available on the trade office’s Web site (www.canada.org.tw) or by calling (02) 2544-3000.
SOCIETY
Buddy Bear arrives from Germany
Taiwan received its own Buddy Bear from Germany last Saturday via the German Institute. With help from students at Fengshan and Fengshin high schools in Kaoshiung and the German School in Taipei, the bear was painted and given its own unique look on Saturday. The life-sized fiberglass sculpture will make an appearance on June 27 at the Taipei Film Festival, as the festival’s theme this year is Berlin, the institute said. The bear will go on tour next month and in September to coincide with the World Games in Kaoshiung and the Deaflympics in Taipei, it said. The institute is holding a competition to name the bear. Suggestions can be sent to the institute before Oct. 3. Nearly 1,300 Buddy Bears have been sent from Germany all over the world. More information on the bear-naming contect is available on the institute’s Web site at www.taipei.diplo.de.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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