Railroad cultural festival kicks off in Taipei

2014-10-03

Taipei Railroad Culture Festival got underway Sept. 27 with a series of activities showcasing more than 100 years of related history in Taiwan’s largest metropolis.

Co-organized by Taiwan Railways Administration as part of celebrations marking the city’s 130th anniversary, the festival is expected to help foster greater interest in local railway culture. It features concerts, documentary screenings, guided tours, music performances, multimedia exhibitions and workshops.

“Railways have played an integral role in the development of this city,” Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said at a news conference Sept. 25. “The festival underscores this contribution and government efforts to preserve cultural assets and historical monuments.”

According to Hau, four sites and three buildings inside festival venue Taipei Railway Workshop have been designated historical monuments. “This move further illustrates the city’s drive to safeguard a valuable part of Taiwan’s heritage,” he said.

Another highlight of the event, Hau said, is the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and TRA to convert the former workshop into a museum operated by the two agencies.

The festival, now entering its second year, runs until Oct. 26.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=222325&CtNode=413)