The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said that since it and the Ministry of Culture launched the “Taiwan Culture in Europe 2025” campaign in February, more than 70 Taiwanese arts and cultural events have been confirmed across 26 European countries this year.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) met on Feb. 11 in New Taipei City to discuss strategies for “cultural diplomacy,” focusing on Taiwan’s participation at the World Expo in Japan and upcoming arts and cultural activities in Europe.
Department of European Affairs Director-General Eric Huang (黃鈞耀) said the two ministries agreed during the meeting to jointly promote Taiwanese culture abroad through the campaign.
Photo: Yang Cheng-yu, Taipei Times
Following a series of discussions and planning reviews, MOFA, the Ministry of Culture and National Palace Museum have confirmed that they would work with 30 of Taiwan’s diplomatic missions in Europe to organize more than 70 events in 26 European countries this year.
“The events are intended to deepen Europeans’ understanding of Taiwan’s rich cultural heritage and reflect the shared values of democracy and cultural diversity between Taiwan and Europe,” Huang said.
The campaign presents a broader image of Taiwan beyond its strengths in technology, the economy and national security, he said.
The initiative also aligns with President William Lai’s (賴清德) “value diplomacy” policy directive, he added.
“Taiwan is an island of technology and an island of culture, home to a rich heritage and an innovative spirit,” Huang said.
The campaign’s slogan is “From Tech to Culture, Taiwan Leads the Future!” and its logo features Roman columns as the core visual element, blended with design elements inspired by Taiwanese semiconductors and chips, he said.
Highlighting events in the first half of the year, Huang said the two ministries supported Taiwanese artists in participating in major international platforms such as the Venice Biennale, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and Napoli Comicon in Italy, as well as a Taiwan pavilions at several major exhibitions.
The National Symphony Orchestra Chamber Ensemble performed in Austria and Lithuania last month and received an enthusiastic response from local audiences, he said.
Vox Nativa, Taiwan’s indigenous children’s choir, also toured Germany, Austria and the Vatican, where they sang for Pope Leo XIV and were greeted by him in person, he added.
National Palace Museum would exhibit selections from its collection in the Czech Republic in September and in France in November, he said.
Taiwan’s renowned percussion groups U-Theatre (優人神鼓) and the Ju Percussion Group (朱宗慶打擊樂團) are also scheduled to perform in Europe, he added.
In addition, Taiwan’s representative offices across Europe are planning to host exhibitions showcasing the work of Taiwanese artists, with the aim of sparking greater interest in Taiwan’s arts and cultural scene, he said.
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