President Ma Ying-jeou met with Australia's Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker and Director of Life Without Limbs, at the Presidential Office on the evening of June 8, and extended a cordial welcome on behalf of the government and people of the ROC to Mr. Vujicic on his visit here.
The president stated that he is extremely pleased to be able to meet with Mr. Vujicic, and expressed his admiration for Mr. Vujicic's optimistic attitude in facing the many challenges he has encountered in life. The president said that his courage, determination, and persistence is an inspiration to all.
President Ma noted that Mr. Vujicic, who is 27 years old, was born in Australia without any limbs, yet Mr. Vujicic and his family have never been defeated by the challenges associated with his disability. Even in a society as progressive as Australia, Mr. Vujicic met lots of difficulties before entering a mainstream school, but thanks to the constant efforts of his mother, he ultimately succeeded.
President Ma furthermore commented that Mr. Vujicic embraces the "I am, therefore I can" spirit of optimism. Always a fighter in the face of adversity, he was able to obtain dual bachelor's degrees in financial planning and accounting, and went on to establish Life Without Limbs. To date, he has spoken before a total of two million people, and has won the love and admiration of audiences everywhere.
The president remarked that Mr. Vujicic previously spoke before a crowd of 100,000 in Colombia and in the course of his address demonstrated the principle that brave men know no fear. After he completed his speech, he interacted with the audience and exhibited his "Nick-style hug," which he is so famous for, bringing the excitement in the venue to a climax. At the same time, he has also transmitted images via the Internet, enabling others to understand and appreciate his method of hugging. Mr. Vujicic once said, "I don't have arms and legs to hold but I hug you with my heart. Although it seems limited, it is full of love." The president praised Mr. Vujicic for standing up to the difficulties he has faced, and said he serves as an inspiration to other people who face the same situation.
President Ma commented that Taiwan's foot and mouth painting artists Yang En-dian and Xie Kun-shan have overcome their physical challenges to paint. The one has no arms, so she paints with the feet; the other has no hands, so he holds the brush in his mouth. The president noted that Mr. Vujicic and Japanese writer Ototake Hirotada have not given up on life despite not having limbs. Neither one has been demoralized by their situation or been satisfied with just getting by. Their embrace of life has won the deep admiration of people without disabilities, he said.
The president said that he would like to specially express his gratitude to the volunteers at Eden Social Welfare Foundation, who have made so many efforts and contributions to the nation and society. He also praised the late writer Liu Hsia who founded the organization, noting that she made an enormous contribution to the welfare of people with disabilities. Eden Social Welfare Foundation specially invited Mr. Vujicic to Taiwan, and also plans to ask him to make another visit to mark the centenary of the ROC next year. The president said that he is certain that if Mr. Vujicic is able to make speeches throughout Taiwan, he will undoubtedly move many people and have an impact on people who are facing challenges similar to his.
Mr. Vujicic expressed his appreciation to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He added that he is pleased to be invited to Taiwan to share his experiences and philosophies. He added that he hopes that he will have the opportunity to exchange opinions with many people during his time here.
Mr. Vujicic was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the evening by Eden Social Welfare Foundation President Luo Ji-chiung to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Advisor Tung Kuo-yu.