Taiwan's Culture Minister Lung Ying-tai visited the French city of Aubervilliers on Thursday to learn more about the resources devoted to culture in less-affluent parts of the European country.
Warmly welcomed by Aubervilliers Mayor Jacques Salvator, Lung was given a tour of the Theatre de la Commune and a music college that is under still construction. She was surprised to learn that the city, with a population of less than 90,000 people, a 23-percent unemployment rate and an average annual household income of 10,603 euros (US$14,007), is spending 1.2 billion euros to build a music college, rather than investing it in other industrial projects.
Lung was told by city officials that cultural infrastructure is always given priority in Aubervilliers because 'culture is in our DNA.' According to Salvator, the city had to raise local taxes to support the development of cultural infrastructure, but residents willingly accept the increased burden for the good of younger generations.
Later that same day, Lung attended a forum with people from France's arts and cultural sector and visited the National Library of France and the National Center of Cinematography and the Moving Image (CNC).
During talks with CNC President Eric Garandeau, Lung invited him to attend the year-end Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. They also agreed on a program to exchange artists, a plan to send Taiwan's Ministry officials to CNC for training, and a project on documentary film co-production.
Lung is scheduled to wrap up her four-day visit in France and head to London Friday.
