Culture Minister Shih Che attended the plaque-unveiling ceremony on Sept. 14 for the cultural division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague during his first trip to Europe since he assumed office.
The culture division is the first of its kind in Central Europe, Minister Shih said, adding that the division will serve as a cultural portal of the Ministry of Culture to deepen art and culture exchanges with the Central European countries.
Established at the beginning of this year, the division is expected to build closer ties between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in terms of democratic spirit and vibrant culture, said Shih.
"Taiwan culture is a business card representing Taiwan," said Shih at the ceremony, "and I am now handing this card to our Czech friends in the hope that people of Taiwan and the Czech Republic could understand each other better through art and culture."
The Czech Republic embodies rich history and culture and has outstanding achievement in the fields of painting, sculpture, literature, and music, while Taiwan has cultivated unique and diverse culture due to its location and history, said Shih.
Shih went on to say that while Taiwan and the Czech Republic are thousands of miles away, the two countries share the same experience of pursuing democracy and freedom, and thus show a common respect for diversity.
“Multicultural exchange is one concrete practice of democracy,” Shih added.
The ceremony was also attended by Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, senator Jiří Drahoš, Director Karel Ksandr of the National Technical Museum, Head of International Department Petr Hnízdo of the Ministry of Culture, and Director of Cultural Programmes Veronika Wolf of Czech Office of the President, as well as delegates from the art and political circles.
“We have to do the right thing,” remarked Senator President Vystrčil at the ceremony, adding that the establishment of the division is the right decision made by the Czech Republic and Taiwan. The division demonstrates the cultural depth of the two countries, and as Taiwan and the Czech Republic share the same faith of democracy and cultural diversity, the friendship between the two will surely become stronger and better, he said.