Culture Minister Shih Che arrived in France on Sep. 15 as part of his European tour. In addition to hosting the Taiwan-France Cultural Award (臺法文化獎), Minister Shih visited several important cultural facilities in France, including Fondation Fiminco, La Villette, Le Centquatre-Paris, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, and more. At La Villette, he stressed that Taiwan will certainly participate in the 2024 Cultural Olympiad, which will run concurrently with the Paris Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games of Paris 2024 will be held from July 26 to Aug. 11, 2024. Meanwhile, the government of Paris has extended invitations to different countries under the banner of “Cultural Olympiad” to jointly engage in the cultural exchange and showcase event.
Minister Shih made a special visit to La Villette, known as the largest artistic and cultural center in Paris. The site has been designated as the venue for national pavilions of Cultural Olympiad. The Minister stated that, with rich cultural diversity and dazzling technologies, Taiwan will present its performing arts, visual arts, and cultural techniques in the international arena.
On Sept. 15, a special screening of the Taiwanese film "A City of Sadness (悲情城市)" was held as part of the 6th edition of the Filmosa Festival (巴黎臺灣電影節). The screening was attended by Minister Shih, Taiwan's Representative to France Francois Wu Chih-chung (吳志中), Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris director Hu Ching-fang (胡晴舫), "A City of Sadness" producer Chiu Fu-sheng (邱復生), and Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute chairman Chu Ming-jen (褚明仁). The festival, featuring 13 Taiwanese films and 14 sessions of screenings and talks, will run until Oct. 3.
The Minister stated he is pleased to have the chance to present this iconic film in France, making it accessible to a broader audience. The MOC will continue its effort to promote Taiwan’s cinematic works and it democratic culture.
On the same day, Minister Shih also observed the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOU) between the Taiwan Cultural Center and two organizations from France and Switzerland: Fondation Fiminco and Plateforme 10. The MOUs intend to foster enduring collaboration in various fields, including visual arts, performing arts, film, fashion, and beyond. The Minister hopes this agreement will lay the foundation for long-term cultural exchange channels between Taiwan and France, as well as Taiwan and Switzerland.