A new permanent exhibition showcasing Taiwan’s journey toward being a vibrant democratic society and a tech powerhouse has recently opened at the Presidential Office building in Taipei.
The exhibition, Together as One with Taiwan: The Ark of Democracy, is the first during the tenure of President William Lai (賴清德) and emphasizes the democratic values that are “most cherished” in Taiwan, said the General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC), the main organizer.
The Presidential Office’s permanent exhibitions are updated every four years to align with the tenure of the president, it said.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan is presented as “an ark” in the Pacific Ocean and its citizens as the “navigators” of the vessel, the association said of the message embodied in the exhibition.
As everyone works together with “democracy as [their] compass” and “under the banner of freedom, human rights and the rule of law,” the ark, propelled by advanced technology, would “sail toward the world,” it added.
Democracy is the “foundation” of Taiwanese society, and the exhibition seeks to capture this through images of key moments from social movements that contributed to the nation’s democratization, the association said.
The exhibition also highlights Taiwan’s tech prowess by featuring Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing cofounder Morris Chang’s (張忠謀) manuscripts and the remnants of the first chip wafers produced in Taiwan, among other objects symbolizing the country’s technological achievements.
Real-time images of views from Xiangshan (象山) in Taipei, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the Techi Dam in Taichung, the Dongyin Visitor Center in the outlying island of Matsu and other views of Taiwan’s natural landscape are exhibited, it said.
The exhibition is free of charge, but entry to the Presidential Office building requires identification.
The building is accessible to visitors from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday, and usually on the first Saturday of every month from 8am to 4pm.
The GACC is a government-funded organization, headed by Lai and tasked with expanding Taiwan’s cultural outreach.
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