A representative of the Mexican community in Taipei on Thursday said that it plans to hold a fundraiser on Oct. 15 to help victims of a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit Mexico on Tuesday last week.
Luis Morales, spokesman for the “One Mexico” event, said the Mexican community has received tremendous support from both Taiwanese and the Latin American community since the devastating earthquake.
“We have received many expressions of condolence, but more than condolences, we have received messages of hope and strength,” Morales said in an e-mail.
He is impressed by the amount of attention the public is giving to the earthquake, Morales said, adding that his community was told by the Mexican Office in Taipei that the office has received many calls from Taiwanese wanting to help.
The fundraiser is to begin at 1pm at Taipei’s Shipai Catholic Church, where visitors can learn about Mexican culture through food, live music and games.
The event is free to all participants, who can also choose to make a direct donation or to donate by buying food and raffle tickets, Morales said.
Non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian aid to the quake victims are to be on hand to raise awareness of what they do and to accept donations, he said.
Funds collected throughout the day are to be counted in public at the end of the event, with proof of donations to be shown on the organizers’ Facebook page “LoveForMex.”
One of the organizations that the event wishes to support is “Los Topos,” a renowned earthquake rescue group that came to Taiwan in 1999 to help with rescue efforts after the 921 Earthquake in central Taiwan, which had claimed 2,456 lives, Morales said.
“I believe I speak for all the Mexican community when I say that for us, Taiwan is our second home. We have always felt loved and welcomed here,” Morales said.
“Every time we go through hard times, there is a Taiwanese friend, classmate, coworker, teacher here for us. We consider them part of our family, and this time more than ever they have been here for us in many ways,” he said.
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