The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is to join the Muslim world in celebrating the month of Ramadan by hosting two events to promote cultural and religious diversity in Taiwan.
An Islamic cultural exhibition is to take place from Friday to April 18 at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei to welcome the month of Ramadan, which runs from Tuesday next week in the evening to the evening of May 12, Yang Syin-yi (楊心怡), director of the ministry’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said yesterday.
The exhibition is to feature Islamic artifacts and architecture, Yang added.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Items to be displayed have been contributed by the Chinese Muslim Association and the local missions of Bahrain, Brunei, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Somaliland, he said.
On Saturday next week and April 18, an interactive event is to take place outside the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yang said.
During the two days, people can watch artists creating Arabic calligraphy, learn how the halal industry grew in Taiwan, experience Eid al-Fitr traditions and taste halal delicacies, he said.
Eid al-Fitr is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of fasting during Ramadan.
“The two events aim to deepen people’s understanding of Muslim cultures, and promote cultural and religious diversity in Taiwan,” Yang said.
About 250,000 Muslims live in Taiwan, of which about 200,000 are foreigners, MOFA data showed.
Muslim foreigners in Taiwan are typically migrant workers, students or spouses of Taiwanese citizens, the ministry said, praising them for their contributions to local cultural and religious diversity.
The government has constructed a Muslim-friendly environment, Yang said, adding that CrescentRating, which assesses halal travel, has recognized Taiwan’s efforts several times.
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