Maroc - TAIWANTODAY.TW - Top News - 01/Nov 00:00

Maritime cultural policy conference wraps up in Taipei

The inaugural International Conference on Maritime Cultural Policy wrapped up Nov. 5 in Taipei City, underscoring government commitment to formulating forward-looking initiatives to promote Taiwan’s seafaring heritage.   Organized by the Ocean Affairs Council, the one-day event featured three panel discussions on maritime cultural policymaking, traditional shipbuilding, and maritime history and culture, with local academics and counterparts from Denmark, Japan and South Korea taking part. It also included a session for two OAC student grant recipients to present their research projects.   During her opening remarks, OAC Deputy Minister Wu Mei-hung said that given Taiwan’s unique geographic location and rich historical context, the country possesses diverse tangible and intangible maritime assets, including ipanitika, traditional fishing boats of the Indigenous Tao people on Orchid Island; the stone weir in Penghu County; and the antilanding spikes on the beaches of Kinmen County.   As a maritime country, Taiwan takes its responsibility to preserve and promote oceanic culture seriously, she said, anticipating that the event would shed light on related research, inspire novel policy suggestions and enhance Taiwan’s global visibility.   According to the organizer, highlights of the conference included a presentation on the research and conservation of ancient ships in Taiwan by Chen Jeng-horng, a professor from National Cheng Kung University; the introduction of Okinawa’s sabani by Ohshiro Kiyoshi, a master in crafting the traditional wooden boat; and an overview of measures to safeguard the culture of Jeju haenyeo, or female divers, in South Korea by Yoo Chul-in, a professor from Jeju National University. (SFC-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw