Representatives from a high school in Hsinchu City on Friday paid a visit to the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei to apologize after a campus event featuring students wearing Nazi costumes and displaying swastikas sparked a public outcry.
The cosplay event took place on Dec. 23, as part of Hsinchu Kuang Fu High School’s activities to celebrate the school’s foundation day. The ensuing public outcry resulted in the resignation of school principal Cheng Hsiao-ming (程曉銘).
Israeli Representative Asher Yarden listened to the students’ apology and explanation, and said he forgave them and looked forward to future opportunities for educational exchanges with the school, the office said.
POSTER
He also accepted a poster made by the students, which took the symbol of the Israeli office as its center, with the students’ personal reflections on the incident written on leaves surrounding it.
Cheng, who led the students to the Israeli office as his final act before resigning, also invited the office’s staff to visit the school and speak to staff and students there.
BOOK EXCHANGE
Yarden agreed to the invitation and presented Cheng with a Chinese-language book on Judaism, saying he hoped the book would help the school’s staff and students remember the Holocaust and its implications for all of humankind.
Yarden also presented the students with an illustrated book about Ho Feng-shan (何鳳山), a Chinese diplomat who risked his own life and career to save the lives of 3,000 Jews while he was stationed in Vienna during World War II.
He added that if the world had more people like Ho Feng-shan, it would be an even better place.
The school said it would supplement its curricula with materials provided by the Israeli office, and participate in seminars and book readings to improve understanding of the Holocaust at the school.
Additional reporting by CNA
Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) on Wednesday said decommissioned coast guard vessels were given to the Philippines to enhance regional rescue capacity and would not affect Taiwanese fishers’ rights and benefits. Kuan made the remarks after confirmation on Tuesday that a 500-tonne Coast Guard Administration (CGA) patrol and rescue vessel would be given to the Philippine Coast Guard. The donation ceremony was reportedly done in Manila, but whether the vessel — previously numbered “CG123” and named Kinmen (金門) — has been handed over has yet to be confirmed. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday criticized the donation for “taking
UPDATE: The submarine would need to undergo combined systems testing and crew training for navy personnel before it is ready for mission, an expert said Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine, the Hai Kun (Narwhal, 海鯤), could be delivered to the navy as early as next month, military expert and Taiwan Association for Security and Development chairman Chi Tung-yun (紀東昀) said yesterday. The submarine was yesterday morning observed departing for its 21st sea trial and its 15th submerged test. The vessel missed the initial delivery deadline of November last year due to “testing delays,” its primary contractor, shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan, said in June. The contractor also cited “political pressure from China” in procuring critical equipment. All testing operations are in the final stages, with the
Six NT$10 million (US$315,527) special prizes and seven NT$2 million grand prizes in Taiwan's May-June uniform invoice lottery remained unclaimed as of today, including one NT$10 million winner who spent only NT$10 on an Uber Eats delivery order, the Ministry of Finance said. The ministry said the 13 winners need to claim their prizes by Nov. 5. The eight-digit serial number that won the NT$10 million special prize for May-June was 38548029, with 18 winning receipts in total. The NT$2 million grand prize number was 10138845, of which there were 22 winning receipts, the ministry said. In addition to the receipt issued for an
The Ministry of Finance today announced the winning numbers for the July-August uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$314,663) special prize is 89996565, while the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 91098182. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 54348835, 44991397 and 06595111. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits qualify for the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers are eligible for the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
RSS