Taiwan’s General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC) yesterday announced the winners of the 13th Presidential Culture Awards, recognizing two individuals and three groups for their contributions to Taiwanese society.
The awards are divided into five categories: Arts and Culture Award, Community Building Award, Humanitarian Dedication Award, Creativity and Innovation Award and Public Advocacy Award.
In a news release, GACC secretary-general Lee Hou-ching (李厚慶) said that the biennial award adopted the five categories at its inception in 2001, with the goal of shining a spotlight on recipients who have been active in their respective fields for years.
Graphic grab from GACC Facebook
The five winners were chosen out of 184 competitors, Lee said.
In the arts and culture category, the honor went to He Zheng-guang (何政廣), founder of Taiwan’s Artist Magazine who is also the publisher of Art Collection + Design lifestyle magazine.
He was named for his contribution to art publishing in Taiwan.
His dedication and love of art and culture were a key reason Artist Magazine celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
Meanwhile, the Community Building Award was won by Kaohsiung’s Meinung People’s Association for its efforts to promote community outreach and neighborhood care.
The association began its operations in the early 1990s as part of local protests against the construction of a reservoir that was planned on the Meinong River.
Gradually, it has become an organization focused on local environmental awareness, Meinong’s creative revitalization and the continuation of the district’s vibrant Hakka culture.
With the creation of Hakka-specific festivals, the association was named the recipient of the award for making Meinong a hub for Hakka culture in southern Taiwan.
Harmony Home Foundation Taiwan won the Humanitarian Dedication Award for its efforts to support AIDS patients.
The foundation has also long protected the rights of underprivileged female migrant workers in Taiwan.
Most importantly, it won the humanitarian recognition for voluntarily helping the babies of undocumented migrant workers, selflessly providing healthcare and asylum to the children.
Taiwanese writer Lin Li-ching (林立青), who penned a collection of autobiographical essays about his time as a construction site worker, received the Creativity and Innovation Award.
Although Lin’s book, Workers (做工的人), gave his readers a glimpse into the lives of Taiwan’s blue collar workers, the big and small screen adaptations of his book shone a light on the lives and plight of such people for an even bigger audience.
Following his success, Lin founded Yoshi Power Wash Co and the Taipei Yoshi Care Association to provide assistance and job opportunities to the homeless and the underprivileged.
Lin won the award for becoming an example to Taiwan’s youth, as he turned what he advocated and pledged for in his writings into reality once given the opportunity to do so.
The group winner of the Public Advocacy Award went to the Taiwan Labour Front.
The organization was founded in 1984 as an association which provided legal council to workers.
Today, the front has been around for more than 40 years, providing Taiwan’s workers with legal counsel and promoting labor union autonomy.
As an indispensable supporter of workers in Taiwan, the group was named the award recipient by GACC.
The GACC also announced that the ceremony for this year’s Presidential Culture Awards as in past years would be held on Oct. 17, which is Taiwan’s Culture Day.
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