Minister to lay foundation for development of national culture

Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun (???) said Saturday that she will work to establish a solid foundation for the promotion of national culture through history, education and distinctive local cultures.

While discussing the government's culture policy at a Taiwan Culture Day activity, Cheng said that the ministry plans to use all cultural resources at its disposal to showcase Taiwanese history and culture, including virtual technology.

She noted that nowadays people are estranged from the past and children walk past historic sites without knowing their importance.

The government's mission is to create cultural memory whether through academic data or museum visits, the minister said.

The government's next focus will be to work with the Ministry of Education to introduce "experience culture" classes in schools, ensuring students learn more about local history and culture. These classes will also nurture the ability to appreciate art.

The government will further assist localities to define and present their own distinctive cultures as a basis for developing local industry and tourism.

In addition, the ministry wants to revitalize Taiwan's film, television and music industries, in the hope that popular culture will incorporate more cultural features.

The minister said a cultural creative agency modeled on the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) will be created next year to develop the local film, television and music industries, as well as animation and publishing.

"The institute will start from local stories. If they tell good stories, they will find markets overseas," she said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel