MOFA to hold events promoting Islamic culture during Ramadan

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will join the Muslim world in celebrating the month of Ramadan with two events to promote cultural and religious diversity in Taiwan.

Yang Syin-yi (楊心怡), director of MOFA's Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said Tuesday that an Islamic cultural exhibition will be held April 9-18 at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to welcome the month of Ramadan from April 13 to May 12.

The exhibition will be divided into four categories -- Arabic calligraphy, Islamic artifacts, Islamic architecture and Islam in Taiwan -- Yang said.

Items to be displayed have been contributed by the Chinese Muslim Association and the foreign missions in Taiwan of several Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, and the self-declared state of Somaliland, he said.

Another activity will be an interactive event to be held April 17-18 outside the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yang said.

During the two days, visitors can see artists showcasing their skills in Arabic calligraphy, learn how the halal industry grew in Taiwan, and experience Eid al-Fitr traditions and get a taste of halal delicacies, he said.

Eid al-Fitr is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of fasting during Ramadan.

"The two events aim to deepen the understanding of Muslim cultures among Taiwanese and promote cultural and religious diversity in Taiwan," Yang said.

According to data provided by MOFA, there are about 250,000 Muslims currently living in Taiwan, with 50,000 of them Taiwanese and the remaining 200,000 foreign nationals.

Muslims from abroad in Taiwan are mostly migrant workers, students, or spouses of Taiwan citizens, MOFA said in a statement, and it praised them for contributing to Taiwan's cultural and religious diversity.

MOFA said Taiwan's government has successfully built a Muslim-friendly environment and such efforts have been recognized by CrescentRating, which assesses Halal travel, in its Global Muslim Travel Index several times, Yang said.