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Taipei Liaison Office in the RSA
SA-TAIWAN eNews MAY 27TH 2020 PUBLISHER: MATTHEW CHOU ISSUE 5
I feel immensely grateful to stand here once again today and take on the responsibility entrusted to me by the Taiwanese people. This inauguration ceremony is unique in the history of the Republic of China. What makes it special is not its size or the number of people in attendance. It is special because we know how difficult it has been for us to get to this point. I want to thank the people of Tai-wan for making such a difficult feat possible. I particularly want to thank a group of people who have not received a lot of attention over the past four months in our fight against COVID-19. I want to thank every single per-son who waited in line outside of the pharmacy in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak. Thank you for your patience, and thank you for trusting the government. You have shown the world Taiwan's commitment to civic virtues, even in times of greatest distress. I also want to thank everyone who was quarantined or isolated at home, putting up with inconven-ience in your daily life to keep oth-ers safe and healthy. Thank you for exemplifying humanity's best quali-ties and helping us successfully bring the coronavirus outbreak un-der control. This sense of pride in our country, this community's shared destiny, and the memories of these past months will live on in all of our hearts. This is what solidarity feels like.
Many ambassadors and representa-tives from other countries are here today, and I trust that many coun-tries around the world are watching Taiwan as well. I want to take this opportunity to tell you that the country you see is populated by kind and resilient peo-ple. No matter the difficulties we face, we can always count on our democracy, our solidarity, and our sense of responsibility towards each other to help us overcome chal-lenges, weather difficult times, and stand steadfast in the world.
The coronavirus has profoundly af-fected our world. It has changed the global political and economic order, accelerated and expanded the reor-ganization of global supply chains, restructured the global economy, and changed the way we live and shop. It has even changed the way the international community views Taiwan and developments in the surrounding region. These changes present us with both challenges and opportunities. I want to ask that my fellow citizens be prepared, because countless chal-lenges and difficulties remain ahead of us. Over the next four years, only those
who can end the pandemic within their borders, lay out a strategy for their country's survival and develop-ment, and take advantage of oppor-tunities in the complex world of tomorrow, will be able to set them-selves apart on the international stage. It takes more than fervor to govern a country. Leadership means calmly taking the right direction in a chang-ing world. That is precisely what I have done over the past four years. I said before that I will leave you with a better country. So over the next four years, I will proactively develop our industries, foster a safe society, ensure national security, and deepen our democracy. I am going to reinvent Taiwan and lead our country into the future.
I truly hope that all of my fellow citizens will remember how it felt to come together to overcome the challenges of the past few months. The Republic of China can be united. Taiwan can be safe. Being Taiwan-ese can be an honor that makes you hold your head high. My dear citizens, the path ahead of us is long, and we are about to be-gin a new chapter in Taiwan's story. Taiwan's story belongs to each and every one of us, and it needs each and every one of us. I ask that the 23 million people of Taiwan act as our guides and part-ners. Let us pool our wisdom and courage and make this country a better place together. Thank you.
Inaugural address of ROC 15th-term President Tsai Ing-wen
Full Article link: https://www.taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=177764&unitname=Politics-Top-News&postname=Inaugural-address-of-ROC-15th-term-President-Tsai-Ing-wen
Helping hand Miguel Li-jey Tsao (right), vice minister of foreign affairs, and Robert Seraki Matsebe, representative of the Liaison Office of South Africa in Taiwan, take part in a Taiwan Can Help mask donation ceremony May 26 in Taipei City. (MOFA)
Headline News Page 2 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
MOFA thanks dignitaries for messages congratulating
President Tsai and VP Lai on inauguration
Messages of congratulations from
Taiwan’s allies and like-minded part-
ners around the world following the
May 20 inauguration of President
Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President La
Ching-te are sincerely appreciated by
the government and people, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
According to the MOFA, as of May
20, a total of 263 dignitaries from 47
countries, territories and organiza-
tions, including the heads of state of
Taiwan’s 15 allies, have offered their
congratulations via letters, official
statements, social media posts and
video recordings.
Among those who sent messages
was U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo, who said Tsai’s “courage
and vision in leading Taiwan’s vibrant
democracy is an inspiration to the
region and the world.” He was joined
by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
Acting Senate President Chuck
Grassley and former VP Joe Biden in
offering well-wishes.
Lawmakers, officials and political fig-
ures from other like-minded coun-
tries were also among those to send
messages of congratulations, includ-
ing those from Australia, Austria,
Canada, Czech Republic, France, Ger-
many, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait,
New Zealand, Singapore, South Ko-
rea, Sweden and the U.K., as well as
senior officials and parliamentarians
from the European Parliament and
Central American Integration System.
The MOFA said such supportive ges-
tures underscore the firm friendships
these nations and organizations
share with Taiwan. Moving forward,
the government will continue to
grow the country’s global stature by
strengthening existing partnerships
while also seeking new opportunities
for collaboration, the ministry added.
President Tsai voices solemn protest over Taiwan’s noninvitation to WHA
President Tsai Ing-wen expressed a
solemn protest yesterday against the
World Health Organization secre-
tariat’s decision not to invite Taiwan
to the May 18-19 virtual World
Health Assembly.
Tsai said Taiwan Can Help and is
helping countries around the world
combat the COVID-19 pandemic by
donating medical supplies and shar-
ing its disease-fighting experience.
Political considerations should not
override the human right to health,
and excluding the country from the
WHA is not in the common interests
of the international community, she
added.
Tsai made the remarks during a visit
to the Central Epidemic Command
Center in Taipei City where she paid
tribute to frontline staffers, inviting
them to attend the inauguration
ceremony for her second term as
ROC (Taiwan) president set for the
following day.
According to Tsai, Taiwan’s success
managing the coronavirus pandemic
has garnered worldwide attention,
with many countries including the
U.S. issuing statements of support.
Despite not receiving a WHA invite,
Taiwan will always strive for its right-
ful place in global affairs, she said,
adding the government will continue
to raise the country’s international
profile.
In a statement released the same
day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
thanked the country’s diplomatic
allies and like-minded partners for
speaking up for Taiwan during the
WHA.
One example was U.S. Secretary of
Health and Human Services Alex
Azar, who said the health of Taiwan’s
23 million people should never be
sacrificed for political point scoring.
Such unprecedented support under-
scores global recognition of Taiwan’s
bid for pragmatic and professional
engagement in the U.N. agency, the
ministry said.
The MOFA urged the WHO to remain
professional and neutral, resist politi-
cal intervention from China and fa-
cilitate Taiwan’s full participation in
all relevant activities, mechanisms
and meetings.
COVID-19 Page 3 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
TaiwanICDF, Terre des Hommes stage virtual forum on COVID-19
Taipei City-headquartered Interna-
tional Cooperation and Develop-
ment Fund (TaiwanICDF) and
Lausanne-based Terre des Hommes
staged a virtual forum on COVID-19
contact tracing technology app
tracking May 19 in Taipei City.
Participants included Chen Shih-
chung, minister of health and wel-
fare and commander of the Central
Epidemic Command Center; Parng I
-ming, director general of the
MOHW’s Department of Informa-
tion Management; Tony Wu, a pro-
ject manager with TaiwanICDF; Mo-
hini Bhavsar, senior partnerships
director with U.S.-based social en-
terprise Dimagi Inc.; Rahul Mat-
than, a partner with India-
headquartered law firm Trilegal;
and Joseph Wu, technical adviser
with Norway-based health, church
and social services association Luke
International.
According to Chen, Taiwan is willing
and able to share its experiences in
combating coronavirus, which was
first reported in the Chinese city of
Wuhan late last year. The Taiwan
Model saves lives and can
strengthen the global response to
managing the COVID-19 pandemic,
he said.
Echoing Chen’s remarks, Parng de-
tailed the role of information and
communication technology in the
Taiwan Model. Linking the data-
bases of the National Health Insur-
ance system, Customs Administra-
tion under the Ministry of Finance
and National Immigration Agency
under the Ministry of the Interior
played a key role in enhancing pub-
lic sector cooperation and facilitat-
ing an all hands on deck approach,
he added.
TaiwanICDF’s Wu, Bhavsar and
LIN’s Wu shared experiences using
contact tracing in countries with
developing ICT infrastructure such
as Madagascar, Malawi, Paraguay
and Togo, while Matthan high-
lighted related privacy issues.
TaiwanICDF is the country’s fore-
most foreign assistance organiza-
tion, while Terre des Hommes is
one of Switzerland’s leading global
providers of children’s aid.
Ta i w a n d o n a t e s U S $ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o A P E C s u b - f u n d s Taiwan donated a total of US$700,000 to two sub-funds of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum earlier this month to help member states better manage trans-mittable diseases using digital tech-nology, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 26. At a news briefing, Bob Chen, direc-tor-general of the MOFA’s Depart-ment of International Organizations, said US$500,000 was donated to the Human Security Sub-Fund, while US$200,000 went to the Digital Inno-vation Sub-Fund. According to Chen, the coronavirus
pandemic is threatening health secu-rity while damaging economic growth and free trade around the world. The money will be directed toward formulating programs sharing Taiwan’s experiences combating COVID-19 and helping member states enhance their disease-fighting capa-bilities, he said. The APEC Extraordinary Senior Offi-cials’ Meeting on COVID-19 is set to take place online on the evening of May 27, wherein participating mem-ber economies will exchange ideas and share their respective govern-ments’ measures for managing the pandemic, assisting hard-hit indus-
tries and stimulating their econo-mies. Since joining APEC in 1991, Taiwan has made substantial contributions to the regional forum. These span a broad spectrum of areas including disaster prevention, food security, small and medium enterprise devel-opment and women’s empower-ment.
Medical & health care Page 4 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
Taiwan, Australia cooperate on COVID-19 drug development
Taiwan’s Chang Gung University
and Australia’s Monash University
are cooperating on developing
drugs with possible applications in
fighting viruses such as COVID-19,
according to the Ministry of Science
and Technology May 14.
The tie-up between Taoyuan City-
based CGU’s Research Center for
Emerging Viral Infections in north-
ern Taiwan and Melbourne-
headquartered Monash Biomedi-
cine Discovery Institute centers on
ivermectin—a pharmaceutical used
to treat parasitic infections and
widely available due to its inclusion
on the World Health Organization’s
model list of essential medicines.
Research carried out by MBDI and
Melbourne-based Peter Doherty
Institute for Infection and Immunity
indicates ivermectin is an inhibitor
of the COVID-19 causative virus
SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.
Under a pact between RCEVI and
MBDI, the former will provide bio-
safety level 1 and 2 laboratories, as
well as virus strains. The latter is to
supply substances for pharmaceuti-
cal experiments on the inhibitory
effect of ivermectin on COVID-19.
BSL is a set of biocontainment pre-
cautions implemented to isolate
hazardous biological agents in a
designated facility. Levels range
from 1, the lowest, to 4, the high-
est.
Founded in 2009, RCEVI specializes
in responding to the impact and
threat posed by bird flu- and SARS-
like viruses on society. The institute
was recognized for excellence in
2018 by the MOST.
T a i w a n p a s s e s p u b l i c h e a l t h s p e c i a l i s t s a c t
The final reading of the public
health specialists act passed the
Legislature May 15 in Taipei City,
spotlighting the government’s con-
tinued commitment to improving
the well-being of local residents,
according to the Ministry of Health
and Welfare.
Comprising 40 articles, the act de-
fines the qualifications, rights, obli-
gations and scope of operation of a
public health specialist.
Since Taipei-based National Taiwan
University set up the country’s first
department of public health in
1972, Taiwan’s tertiary institutions
have trained tens of thousands of
public health professionals. For
more than four decades, these indi-
viduals have shaped the country’s
public health landscape by engag-
ing in related policy making, provid-
ing health education to communi-
ties and taking part in epidemiol-
ogical research, the ministry said.
Given the country’s economic and
social development, the legislation
will greatly enhance the ability of
Taiwan’s public health system to
manage challenges such as the
COVID-19 pandemic, it added.
On her official Facebook page,
President Tsai Ing-wen lauded the
legislation as proof of the govern-
ment’s belief in rewarding exper-
tise. Taiwan’s success in containing
coronavirus is thanks to the dedica-
tion of the country’s frontline medi-
cal staffers and public health spe-
cialists, she added.
By providing more protection to
these workers, Tsai said, the legisla-
tion will enhance public health
awareness and strengthen the
country’s disease-fighting network.
Business and Economics Page 5 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
A p r i l i n d u s t r i a l o u t p u t u p 3 . 5 1 p e r c e n t i n T a i w a n
Taiwan’s industrial production in-
dex rose 3.51 percent year on year
to 107.3 in April, highlighting the
strength of the local electronics
industry, according to the Ministry
of Economic Affairs May 25.
Manufacturing, which accounts for
nearly 92 percent of industrial pro-
duction, grew 4.15 percent from a
year ago while quarrying and min-
eral extraction surged 21.89 per-
cent. Conversely, water supply re-
ported losses of 0.19 percent and
electricity and gas supply dropped
5.35 percent.
A breakdown of manufacturing re-
vealed electronic components and
parts up 22.15 percent, continuing
a five-month double-digit gain,
while computers, electronics and
optical products saw a modest rise
of 1.75 percent, with growth lim-
ited by weakening demand for
camera lenses due to a decline in
smartphone sales amid the COVID-
19 pandemic.
The electronics industry was the
main driver of overall growth as it
continues to benefit from emerging
technologies such as 5G networks,
artificial intelligence, cloud-based
services and high-performance
computing devices, the MOEA said.
Also contributing to the rise were
increased shipments of liquid crys-
tal panels and chips caused by the
recent spike in remote work and
online learning, the ministry added.
Demand for high-tech gadgets is
expected to continue in May, sup-
porting overall industrial produc-
tion, the MOEA said, though it cau-
tioned that coronavirus may con-
tinue to impact domestic produc-
tion. Trade friction between China
and the U.S. and low global oil
prices may also cast uncertainties
over the country’s economy going
forward, the ministry added.
Taiwan moves up to 3rd in BERI’s latest global investment report
Taiwan ranked third best invest-
ment destination among 50 major
countries and territories surveyed
in the latest Profit Opportunity Rec-
ommendation report by U.S.-based
Business Environment Risk Intelli-
gence S.A.
Scoring 61 out of 100 in the trian-
nual report, Taiwan finished behind
Switzerland, 71 and Norway, 62.
The country took the lead in Asia,
outdoing neighbors Singapore and
South Korea, 58; Japan, 54; and
China, 45.
Taiwan’s 1C ranking—also awarded
to Norway, Singapore and South
Korea—was assessed on the basis
of its performance in three indexes:
Operations Risk, Political Risk, and
Remittance and Repatriation Fac-
tor. Switzerland was the only coun-
try to earn the top 1A rating.
Taiwan’s standout results included
third in operations, placing the
country behind Switzerland and the
U.S., in that order.
Of the 15 subindexes used to calcu-
late operations risk, Taiwan came
out on top in monetary inflation as
well as communications and trans-
portation. The country finished sec-
ond in labor cost/productivity and
professional services and contracts.
Taiwan continued to lead the way
in remittance and repatriation de-
spite the country’s merchandise
trade surplus dropping to US$3.3
billion in February from US$5.06
billion the same month last year
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the four subindexes comprising
remittance and repatriation, Tai-
wan outperformed in accumulated
international reserves, foreign debt
assessment and foreign exchange
generation. The country finished
fourth in legal framework.
Science & Technology Page 6 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
Winners of Taiwan-US coronavirus Hackathon announced in Taipei
Winners of an online hackathon co-organized by Taiwan and the U.S. with the goal of developing sophisti-cated solutions for managing the coronavirus pandemic were an-nounced May 18 in Taipei City. Co-hosted by the Executive Yuan and American Institute in Taiwan in col-laboration with the Ministry of For-eign Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Development Council, National Center for High-performance Computing under the National Applied Research Laborato-ries and Institute for Information In-dustry, the event attracted 53 entries from countries around the world in-cluding Canada, Germany, Hungary, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. Teams Autonomy, LogBoard, Team-
sEP, Interdisciplinary Laboratory and Gemini Data were declared winners, with the first four groups from Tai-wan and the latter from the U.S. Recognized for creating geographical disease forecasts by merging local governmental and institutional data with individual information, Auton-omy submitted an early warning sys-tem that provides essential informa-tion to government officials and helps citizens avoid risky locations. Meanwhile LogBoard and TeamsEP focused on collecting individual data, respectively designing a personal health recording tool and offering an application tracking body tempera-ture and location data for those un-der mandatory 14-day home quaran-tine. Equally impressive are Interdiscipli-nary Laboratory’s guidance platform for disseminating information on re-lief acts, medical services and tempo-
rary shelters and Gemini Data’s inter-active contact tracing tool. According to the Executive Yuan’s Board of Science and Technology, creative solutions offered by the win-ning teams will greatly contribute to collecting comprehensive informa-tion, strengthening public-private collaboration on disease manage-ment and making a smooth transition to normalcy after the pandemic. The government will continue sharing such technology with allies and like-minded partners around the world, the board added. Organized under the auspices of the Taiwan-U.S. Joint Statement on a Partnership against Coronavirus an-nounced by the MOFA and AIT March 18, the event was held May 5-12. A panel of judges selected winners May 15, evaluating entries based on fac-tors such as innovation, feasibility, social influence and citizen participa-tion.
I n a u g u r a l F a l l i n g W a l l s L a b w r a p s u p i n Ta i p e i The inaugural edition of Falling Walls Lab, a competition promoting the creation of innovative solutions to problems impacting science and soci-ety, wrapped up May 21 in Taipei City. Staged by the Ministry of Science and Technology in partnership with Ger-man Institute Taipei and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the daylong event at Taipei 101 in-volved 25 young academics, entre-preneurs and experts. The three winners, selected by a jury including MOST Deputy Minister Shieh Dar-bin and German Institute
Taipei Director General Thomas Prinz on the strength of 3-minute presen-tations, were students Sabin Para-schiv, Kao Yu-tung and Khoa Nguyen in that order. Paraschiv of National Taipei University of Technology won for a battery charging submission; Kao, Taipei Medical University, air-borne pathogens; and Khoa, National Taipei University of Technology, en-ergy storage.
According to the MOST, the event underscores the effectiveness of long-term Taiwan-Germany collaboration in key areas such as training and R&D. It is also in line with the govern-ment’s commitment to supporting the pursuit of excellence among uni-versity students in Taiwan, the minis-try said. Paraschiv, a Romanian national, is eligible to participate in the global finals of FWL later this year, as well as a sideline conference attended by 600-plus delegates from 75 countries and territories.
SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
Taiwan films Page 7
Virtual Taiwan International Children’s Film Festival gets underway
A virtual edition of Taiwan Interna-
tional Children’s Film Festival com-
menced May 25 on streaming plat-
form Public Television Service-plus.
Staged by PTS Taiwan and Fubon Cul-
tural and Educational Foundation,
the biannual TICFF themed Under-
standing and Tolerance runs until
Aug. 5. It was scheduled to start at
the end of March, but coronavirus—
first reported in the Chinese city of
Wuhan late last year—forced a post-
ponement on health grounds.
TICFF brings together a wide variety
of productions spanning genres such
as animation, documentary, drama
and TV. A total 28 films selected out
of 748 submissions from 82 countries
and territories are vying for top hon-
ors set to be announced in mid-June.
According to PTS Taiwan, the open-
ing and closing films are “Fritzi—A
Revolutionary Tale” and “Team
Marco.” The former is an animation
adapted from a novel of the same
name about the political events of
1989 in the German city of Leipzig
that triggered the fall of the Berlin
Wall, while the latter is comedy
about a boy who gains a new per-
spective on life and love of the Italian
game bocce from his grandfather.
Launched in 2004, TICFF is held in
conjunction with Children’s Day—a
national holiday in Taiwan. It is one
of the highest profile and most pres-
tigious events of its kind in Asia.
PTS Taiwan, founded in 1998, is an
independent nonprofit organization
operating three free-to-air TV chan-
nels.
Ta i p e i F i l m F e s t i v a l u n v e i l s o p e n i n g , c l o s i n g f i l m s
The 2020 Taipei Film Festival an-
nounced its opening and closing films
May 25, kick-starting the event with
the work of a burgeoning new talent
and ending with an award-winning
picture by one of the most renowned
Second New Wave directors in Tai-
wan.
The festival will open June 25 with
the world premiere of “The Silent
Forest,” director Ko Chen-nien’s fea-
ture film debut. Adapted from real
events, the story begins with a hear-
ing-impaired teenager’s discovery of
a girl being bullied in the back of a
school bus and goes on to explore
the issue of sexual assault on cam-
pus.
Wrapping up the event July 11 is
“Days,” the latest work by acclaimed
director Tsai Ming-liang. The film
captures the chance encounter of
two men living predictable and re-
petitive existences, presenting Tsai’s
signature minimalist aesthetics
through 46 long takes without any
dialogue.
“Days,” which won the Teddy Award
at the 70th Berlin International Film
Festival in February, has been nomi-
nated for Best Narrative Feature,
Best Director and Best Actor at this
year’s TFF.
According to organizers, the screen-
ings and award ceremony will pro-
ceed in accordance with recommen-
dations from the Central Epidemic
Command Center. As foreign film-
makers are unable to attend this
year, winners of the festival’s Inter-
national New Talent Competition will
be announced online, they added.
Launched in 1998 by Taipei City Gov-
ernment, TFF aims to support the
homegrown film industry, promote
cinema education and boost interna-
tional exchanges. This year’s festival
attracted 331 submissions competing
for prizes in 20 categories including
Best Documentary, Best Animation
and Award for Outstanding Artistic
Contribution.
SA-TAIWAN ENEWS
ISSUE 5
Green Island Human Rights Art Festival promotes international cultural, creative exchanges
The Green Island Human Rights Art Festi-val, running May 15 to Sept. 15 in south-eastern Taiwan’s Taitung County, is strengthening cultural and creative ex-changes between artists from home and abroad. Organized by the National Human Rights Museum under the Ministry of Culture, GIHRAF features 21 pieces by 14 artists and groups spanning categories like ar-chaeology, immersive theater, installa-tion, performance, picture book and video. Sideline activities include guided tours, interactive presentations and workshops. GIHRAF is held at Green Island White Terror Memorial Park, which along with Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park in New Taipei City, is Taiwan’s most impor-tant historical site documenting persecu-tion of political dissidents during 38 years of martial law. NHRM Director Chen Chun-hung said this year’s event is significant as it is the first time for overseas artists to participate.
Some of the standouts are Ashmina Ran-jit and Baan Noorg Collaborative Arts and Culture from New Southbound Policy target countries Nepal and Thailand, respectively. It is hoped the international flavor of GIHRAF will fast-track its development into a leading regional festival for con-temporary artists addressing human rights, Chen added. A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, NSP seeks to en-hance Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zea-land According to GIHRAF curator Sandy Hsiu-chih Lo, the inclusiveness of the event is complemented by a thematic explora-tion of unrealized human rights among the marginalized. Showcasing such seri-ous issues will encourage these at-risk groups to challenge societal norms and
seek alternative paths to reversing op-pression, she added. Another highlight of GIHRAF is the “Remembrance and Marginalization” exhibition by Taipei National University of the Arts. Curator Wang Pao-hsuan said the specially selected creation invoke the painful memories of the past as Taiwan transitioned to a full-fledged democracy. NHRM is the country’s primary facility for collecting and preserving historical documents and materials relating to hu-man rights from the end of Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) to the lifting of martial law five years after Taiwan proper in outlying Kinmen and Matsu islands Nov. 7, 1992.
14 National Palace Museum entries win at Houston film festival
National Palace Museum won 14 awards at the 53rd WorldFest-Houston Interna-tional Film Festival, one of the oldest independent film events in the U.S., ac-cording to the Taipei City-based institu-tion May 20. Triumphing over more than 4,570 sub-missions from 74 countries and territo-ries, NPM entries bagged five platinum awards, five gold, three silver and one bronze in the categories of New Media, TV Commercials and Public Service An-nouncements, and Film and Video Pro-duction. Among the platinum winners is the web-page of an exhibit titled “Betwixt Reality
and Illusion,” honored in the website subcategory under New Media for its engaging content and distinctive design. The page is dedicated to the museum’s prized collection of jade pieces dating from 475 B.C. to A.D. 220. The museum’s introduction video “Come Across Future” and maps showcased in the multimedia exhibition “Wandering in Ancient Sazum: A Journey Through His-torical GIS from Qing Dynasty Docu-ments” achieved the highest awards in TV commercials and the high-definition new technologies subcategory under New Media, respectively. Topping in subcategories recognizing excellence in interactivity are the exhibi-tions “Friends Through Culture,” for util-izing fifth-generation augmented reality guides, and “Eco-Rethink,” for inter-weaving art and ecological educational elements. Other awards went to the NPM 3D Ac-
tion Theater as well as to videos, web-sites, interactive technologies of exhibi-tions titled “The Epitome of Aesthetics,” “Marvels Within the Sea,” “New Hori-zons—New Media Art Exhibition,” “Reflections Along the River” and “The Tibetan Dragon Sutra.” According to the NPM, the recognized works help raise Taiwan’s museum pro-file on the global stage. The institution will continue sparing no efforts in com-bining arts and technology to bring more profound experiences for visitors going forward, it added. Founded in 1961, the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is one of the three largest international film festivals in North America, ranking with San Francisco Independent Film Festival and New York Film Festival. Other categories in this year’s edition include independent experimental films and videos, independent theatrical fea-tures, screenplays and music videos.
Art and Culture Page 8