Remus Li-Kuo Chen
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
September 8, 2023
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Good Afternoon!
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I am delighted to attend the opening of the Our Second Home exhibition. This event brings together the work of 15 exceptionally talented artists from Guatemala, Belize, Paraguay, and Mexico, many of whom have taken part in the Taiwan Scholarship program. Besides celebrating Latin American art and culture, the exhibition is an opportunity for art-lovers from Latin America and Taiwan to meet and make connections.
This month, we are also celebrating the 202nd anniversary of Guatemala’s independence. We have two special guests who have journeyed all the way from Guatemala to join us here. Jonathan Ardon is a muralist who has exhibited all over the world in countries including Guatemala, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, Chile, Costa Rica, and Lebanon. This time, he will unveil his acclaimed series A través de mi hogar for the first time in Taiwan. With him is Carlos Lopez Ayerdi, a celebrated photographer who masterfully captures the landscape and rich cultural diversity of Guatemala. His vibrant collection of pictures offer the Taiwanese public a glimpse of the beauty of Guatemala.
The arts and cultural industries are integral to national development. As well as creating the heritage of tomorrow, art and culture help connect us to people around the world and can project a country’s soft power internationally.
That is why MOFA has spared no efforts to promote cultural exchanges with our allies. In April, President Tsai Ing-wen and President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala attended the opening of a month-long celebration of Guatemalan coffee culture here in Taipei. The event encouraged Taiwanese people to taste delicious Guatemalan coffee and learn about the rich culture of Guatemala. In October, CATO will lead a delegation of Taiwanese travel agencies to our Central American allies to promote cultural tourism and foster deeper people-to-people connections.
Although geographically separated by thousands of miles, Taiwan and Guatemala work closely together in fields including agriculture, disaster prevention, and public health. We are grateful for the strong support Guatemala has kindly given to Taiwan in advocating for our meaningful participation in international organizations such as the UN, WHO, UNFCCC, and ICAO. We look forward to deepening our relationship by further promoting Guatemalan culture in Taiwan. The genuine friendship between our two countries has been fostered through more than 90 years of diplomatic ties. Taiwan is truly a second home for our Guatemalan friends.
I would like to thank Ambassador Padilla and CATO for their generous sponsorship of this event. Special recognition also goes to Ms. Sanchez for her tireless efforts in inviting these talented artists to showcase their work, as well as to all the exhibitors for their outstanding contributions.
In closing, I wish the exhibition resounding success and each of you good health and happiness. Thank you!