2024-11-19

On October 16, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung met with a delegation of 14 people from the Taiwan Soka Association, Japan’s Min-On Concert Association, and the Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble. He thanked the group for jointly arranging the ensemble’s first tour of Taiwan.

Lin started by acknowledging Soka for always giving generously to disaster-hit countries wherever there was a crisis around the world, demonstrating great compassion and energy. Praising the association for embodying the concept of human revolution, he said that it had shown the international community that Taiwan can help and had created a worldwide virtuous cycle. 

The minister stressed that since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Taiwan’s residents had donated over NT$930 million to a special relief account. Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed US$1.9 million to a burns center project. Lin added that the Tzu Chi Foundation, the Taiwan Christian Medical Association, and other NGOs had actively assisted displaced Ukrainian people.

In his remarks, Taiwan Soka Association President Lin Chao said that the Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble would put on eight shows in five Taiwanese cities. Although war was still raging in Ukraine, he said the ensemble continued to tour the world, adding that its mission was to spread Ukraine’s rich culture and arts far and wide.

Minister Lin said he expected the arts exchange to further deepen cultural understanding and emotional connections between Taiwan and Ukraine. In closing, he expressed hope that the performances would bridge language and geographical gaps and provide a stage to jointly promote friendship and peace between all nations.