Taiwan Day event to showcase Taiwanese culture in Poland

Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) The National Cultural Association of Taiwan (NCAT) is holding a two-day "Taiwan Day" cultural event in Poland on Sept. 11 and 12, featuring Taiwanese contemporary dance and folk arts, as well as a bazaar showcasing Taiwanese food and culture.

Events on the first day will be held in Lodz in central Poland, with performances by the Lei Sheng Art Group, a Taiwanese folk arts group, and Taipei Gong Le Xuan, a Taiwanese Beiguan music ensemble.

The performances aim to "transform the Polish streets into a Taiwan temple front," according to a social media post by the association Monday.

There will also be a bazaar with more than 10 stalls showcasing Taiwanese foods and goods, including dumplings, which are described as the Taiwanese counterpart to Polish pierogi. There will also be offerings of bubble tea and Taiwanese tea, the post said.

On Sept. 12, the two groups will be joined by the MeimageDance Troupe, founded by choreographer and National Award for Arts winner Ho Hsiao-mei (何曉玫), for performances in Opole in southwestern Poland, according to the post.

MeimageDance will also perform in Austria on Sept. 5 and in Hungary on Sept. 18 and 19, the post said.

At a promotional press event in Taipei Monday, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), who also serves as NCAT vice president, said the cultural tour is aimed at inspiring Europeans to visit Taiwan and experience the country in person.

Taiwan is a resilient and diverse society with a wide range of folk beliefs, contemporary arts and distinctive foods such as bubble tea and xiaolongbao, all of which are part of the everyday experiences and shared memories of the people of Taiwan, Hsiao said.

While Taiwan faces difficulties in its diplomatic relations, its goodwill toward the world has never wavered, Hsiao said, and she hoped that cultural diplomacy could help deepen the international community's understanding of Taiwan.