The National Human Rights Museum won a Special Award for advancing education on human rights and democracy as part of this year’s Karl Wilhelm Fricke Award, the museum announced on Thursday.
The award — named for a German political journalist who dedicated his life to resisting state repression — is administered by the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship, a government-funded organization established by the German parliament, to recognize people or organizations that have made a significant contribution to transitional justice.
Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) on Wednesday received the award, presented by foundation managing director Anna Kaminsky, on behalf of the museum at his office in Berlin, the museum said in a statement.
Kaminsky called Taiwan a strong and important partner for Germany in transitional justice and said that the two nations have much to learn from each other, even though the dictatorships they experienced were quite different, the museum said.
Shieh added that the award sends a strong signal to the world, as it was presented on the eve of the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, the museum said.
Bundestag member Axel Knoerig and German-Chinese Association-Friends of Taiwan vice chairman Michael Zickerick were also present at the ceremony.
The museum, established on Oct. 19, 2011, features the hidden history of abuses, while promoting human rights and democracy.
Museum director Chen Chun-hung (陳俊宏) said that the recognition would encourage his office to work harder after good exchanges over the years with human rights organizations such as the International Council of Museums, the Federation of International Human Rights Museums and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.
The museum has signed a letter of intent to enhance cooperation on transitional justice with Germany’s Stasi Records Agency, Chen said.
This year’s award committee was headed by former German federal commissioner for the Stasi Records Marianne Birthler and included former German president Horst Kohler.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or