President Tsai attends Taiwanese Cultural Association centennial celebration
On the afternoon of October 17, President Tsai Ing-wen attended a celebration marking the centennial of the Taiwanese Cultural Association (TCA). In remarks at the event, President Tsai thanked previous generations for their sacrifices and hard work that made Taiwan what it is today, and expressed hope that all citizens will continue to work together for a "Taiwan of the world."
The president noted that, just a few days before, Sweet Dew, a long-lost sculpture by the Japanese-era artist Huang Tu-shui, had been rediscovered. She pointed to the confident posture of the figure depicted in the legendary sculpture as an expression of the expectations that the artists of a century ago had for social progress in Taiwan.
The president noted that Sweet Dew was first shown to the public in 1921, the year of the founding of the TCA, and pointed out that the venue hosting the association's centennial happens to be the same venue where Huang's last sculpture Water Buffalo is housed.
The president said that Huang, like TCA founders Lin Hsien-tang, Chiang Wei-shui, Tsai Pei-huo, and Lai Ho, loved Taiwan deeply and carried a powerful sense of identity and mission. She further noted that the ideas put forward 100 years ago, including Huang's hope for a "Formosan era" in the arts as well as the TCA's insistence that "Taiwan should belong to the people of Taiwan" and that "Taiwan should be a part of the world," continue to remind the people of Taiwan to have confidence in themselves.
The president emphasized that the centennial is not just an occasion to commemorate a single group or era, but also an opportunity to carry forward their spirit so that Taiwanese culture can continue to be a force for progress in Taiwan.
The president pointed out that countries gain power when their culture is filled with vitality. She said that over the past few years, the government has established the Taiwan Creative Content Agency as part of a national strategy to support the development of cultural industries, and has worked to change the law to make a more comprehensive regulatory system for cultural governance. The president stated that, on the day of the event, the National Museum of Taiwan Literature and the National Museum of Taiwan History were upgraded from fourth-level to third-level agencies within the Executive Yuan, a status which will give them enhanced capabilities to draw attention to the history and literature of Taiwan.
The president further stated that this year also saw the official launch of Taiwan+, Taiwan's own international online media platform to show the world our diversity and accomplishments and bring our voices and achievements to the international community.
The president expressed her conviction that the era of freedom longed for by the TCA founders has arrived, and that in contemporary Taiwan, neither cultural development nor the forms of exhibitions or performances is subject to government restrictions, and citizens' free speech and free expression are guaranteed.
As an example, the president pointed to this year's Golden Melody Awards, Golden Bell Awards, and the particular elegance and charisma of the many young award winners there, saying that this generation of young Taiwanese has nurtured a new spirit of freedom in Taiwan, creating memories and a future that belong uniquely to us.
The president said that only with freedom can people truly thrive. She thanked our predecessors for their hard work that made Taiwan what it is today, and expressed hope that everyone will continue to work together for a "Taiwan of the world."