Taiwan flag to be at cultural Olympics event

PARIS STAGE:
The Taiwan Pavilion is to feature 22 groups performing nearly 60 music, traditional opera, dance and DJ shows, the Ministry of Culture said

• By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

Taiwan is to participate in the Cultural Olympiad in Paris, with performances showcasing the values ​​of democracy, freedom, equality and peace, Minister of Culture Shih Che (史哲) said yesterday.

The host city of the Olympic Games, which are scheduled from July 26 to Aug. 11, launched the Cultural Olympiad to “spur conversations between sport and culture” with a wide range of activities including concerts, performances, exhibitions, films and workshops, the Games Web site said.

Taiwan was invited to set up a pavilion at the Parc de la Villette in Paris by Frederic Mazelly, the park’s artistic director, who visited Taiwan early last year at the invitation of the Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris, the Ministry of Culture said in a press release.

Shih visited the venue in September last year, it said, adding that Deputy Minister of Culture Sue Wang (王時思) led a team to Paris in January to inspect the site as planning began for Taiwan’s involvement, the ministry said.

The Taiwan Pavilion is to feature nearly 60 shows — including music, traditional opera adaptations, dance and DJ performances — by 22 groups from July 27 to Aug. 10, it said.

In addition, works by about 300 artists would be displayed digitally at the pavilion, it said.

Yen Design founder and director Yen Po-chun (顏伯駿), who is in charge of the pavilion’s design, has arranged the Olympic rings to form the letter “w” in the word “Taiwan,” he said.

The “w” — “double u” in English and “double v” in French — symbolizes Taiwan’s willingness to cooperate with the world and the vision of creating a culture that is win-win for the world, Yen was quoted as saying.

The National Symphony Orchestra performed in Paris last month and several Taiwanese groups are to perform in Paris next month, the ministry said.

Taiwan is presenting its cultural business cards to the world through the events so that the world can see the energy of Taiwan’s young creators and their interpretation of their own culture, Shih said.

The events are also to show that Taiwan shares the international values ​​of freedom, democracy, equality and peace, he said, adding that “Taiwan has always stood side by side with the world.”

It has become a trend for host countries to incorporate cultural elements into the Games and Taiwan is to participate in the Cultural Olympiad with its own pavilion, he said.

This is not only a great opportunity for the nation to showcase its unique charm and diversity on a global stage, but also a statement that expresses Taiwan’s confidence in its culture, he said.