The Puzangalan Children’s Choir yesterday said that a shortfall in funding has been resolved by President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) donation of NT$500,000. The money came from the proceeds of Tsai’s book entitled The Tsai Faction: Lighting the Way for the Taiwanese Mile, which was published in October last year.
The group asked the public not to donate any more money as they now have enough to attend the 11th Cantemus International Choral Festival in Hungary in August.
The group said it had originally intended to use the proceeds of their July 20 performance in Guangzhou, China, to cover the expenses of the Hungary trip.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jo, Taipei Times
However, China rescinded the invitation for the performance, reportedly due to the group’s rendition of the national anthem during the presidential inauguration ceremony on May 20, the choir’s director-general Tsai Yi-fang (蔡義芳) said.
Tsai at 10pm on Wednesday announced on Facebook that she would be donating NT$500,000, after Tsai Yi-fang told media outlets that the group lacked that amount for the Hungary trip.
The group on Facebook yesterday afternoon thanked people for their kindness and concern, adding that the choir members do not mind where or how large the stage is, so long as they can sing.
Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said that the county government has contacted corporations in effort to tap them for funds.
The most significant thing is whether the children learned from this experience and gained further understanding of Taiwan and themselves, Pan said yesterday, adding that this was more important than going abroad or donating funds.
Twenty-seven of the 41 children in the choir are to attend the festival in Hungary, all of whom are from the Paiwan community and live in Pingtung County’s Sandimen Township (三地門) or Majia Township (瑪家), the choir said.
Choir staff member Wu Sheng-ying (吳聖穎) said that the choir members were sad to lose the opportunity of performing in Guangzhou, but staff sought to lift their spirits by saying that they would now have more time to prepare for the event in Hungary.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS