2020-02-08
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President Tsai Ing-Wen commended the efforts of the Taichung City Government and the central government in facilitating the successful opening of the lantern festival. Mayor Lu also invited everyone to visit Taichung to attend the grandest, most spectacular, and most splendid Taiwan Lantern Festival in history!
President Tsai Ing-Wen, Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-Chang, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-Lung, Taichung City Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen, and Tourism Bureau, MOTC Director-General Chou Yung-Hui all joined the opening and lighting ceremony of the Taiwan Lantern Festival tonight. After counting down by everyone present, they all pressed the seed of hope together to illuminate the main lantern The Guardian of the Forest — Tree of Light. The lighting ceremony is accompanied by a dazzling high-tech light show.
President Tsai commented that preparing for the Taiwan Lantern Festival required additional resources due to the COVID-19 outbreak, hence the organizers deserve to be commended for ensuring the successful opening of the event. She expressed her gratitude to Mayor Lu and the city hall for their contributions, and she also praised the central government and local government for working closely in making the best possible preparations.
Tsai mentioned that Taiwan Lantern Festival is a brand and heritage that must be passed on to our future generations. Each year, the event becomes more remarkable by combining technology, innovation, and acrobatic performances that showcase local characteristics. This year, the city government has also invited Pokémon to Taichung along with trainers from all across the globe to admire lanterns and catch rare pocket monsters.
According to Mayor Lu, this year's Taiwan Lantern Festival is inspired by the theme of The Dazzling City, turning Houli Forest Park Area and Horse Ranch Park Area into Mysterious Forest and Art World respectively. Additionally, the Wenxin Forest Park has been created as a secondary exhibition area. The beauty of each striking park is simply breathtaking.
She also thanked the guidance and assistance of various central government agencies as well as city government colleagues, 5,000 volunteers, local municipalities, exhibiting teams from domestic and abroad, and private sponsors in preparing for the Taiwan Lantern Festival, for the lantern festival's success is attributed to their dedication and joint efforts.
Mayor Lu mentioned that despite the worsening conditions of the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, so far no community-acquired infections have been detected in Taichung City. Moreover, 95% of the exhibition areas are outdoors, therefore the lantern festival is an outdoor activity conducive for fostering people's physical and spiritual wellbeing. She also emphasized that the city government will remain vigilant in implementing all the necessary outbreak prevention measures.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-Lung said that this year's lantern festival offers a fusion of light art and lighting technology, hoping to generate improvements in the city's lighting environment and create Taiwan's brand as an international tourist destination. He also extended his thanks to all the colleagues for their efforts and contributions.
The 2020 Taiwan Lantern Festival's theme is The Dazzling City, and the main exhibition area will be held at the Houli Forest Park Area and Horse Ranch Park Area from 2/8 to 23. The Carnival of the Animals section features 15m-tall dinosaurs while the Circular Panorama of Taichung lantern area will present a 360-degree light projection show. Cirque Bijou from the UK will also be invited to debut the only outdoor high altitude acrobatic show in the world in Taiwan. The Wenxin Forest Park secondary exhibition area was opened on 12/23 last year, and it will continue until 2/23, so everyone is invited to come to the lantern festival.
unit:綜合企劃科
