A 2017 Taiwan Panorama cover story entitled “Bringing Love Across the Seas: Foreign Missionaries in Taiwan” elicited a huge response. That year was the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROC and the Vatican, and to mark the occasion 6000 offprints of our cover feature were produced in Spanish and Italian. The ROC embassy to the Holy See distributed copies at the celebratory cocktail party for the anniversary, while the Vatican’s Secretariat of State sent copies to Pope Francis and cardinals of the Catholic church. Copies were also distributed to ROC representative offices in Europe and Latin America, where they proved very effective in helping to promote Taiwan’s soft power.
This year we are again offering special reports on Catholic missionaries in Taiwan. Besides further stories on priests from the West, we include a report on Vietnamese-born Father Peter Nguyen Van Hung, who has been called a hero in the fight against modern slavery by the US Department of State. If you want to know what Father Nguyen has been doing in Taiwan, and how he is spreading God’s love with a peaceful and joyous heart, don’t miss this month’s cover story.
Examples of humans uniting with nature can be seen in “DoGoodHouse,” built by Hoch Ho in harmony with the local terrain; in a seed conservation movement closely tied to indigenous cultures; and in the joy and tranquility of visiting mountain forests. A proposed amendment to the State Compensation Law means that beyond providing appropriate warnings and signage, the government will no longer be liable to compensate the public for injuries suffered on state-owned land. One result of this change is that national parks can remove restrictions on entry into mountain areas, and the Forestry Bureau plans to open all forestry roads to visitors. This is great news for adventurous hikers who love our mountains and forests.
This month we also interview Nguyen Thu Hang, one of the hosts of the 2018 National Day celebrations, who tells us about her life in Taiwan and how she has shattered stereotypes and found confidence in life. We report on young scholars at National Chengchi University’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies, who are working through international academic platforms to find new pathways for interdisciplinary research into cultural and linguistic communities in Southeast Asia. And we meet some pioneering women who are making their way in farming with the help of smart technology and innovative approaches.
Looking ahead to next month, our cover story will focus on the “New Taiwanese” from Southeast Asia and the lives they are building here. We hope you will enjoy it!
