LETTER: To enhance the Taiwanese people's understanding of Ramadan and Islamic culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa), National Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taiwan's Chinese Muslim Association (CMA), and representative and trade offices of Muslim countries in Taiwan are jointly hosting two Islamic cultural exchange activities.
The first event in celebrating Ramadan is the Islamic Cultural Exhibition, which will be held at the Wen-hua Gallery and Culture Corridors of the National Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei from April 9 to 18.
The exhibition covers four topics — Arabic calligraphy, Islamic artefacts, Islamic architecture (well-known mosques) and the development of Islam in Taiwan.
The classic exhibits have been meticulously selected through a comprehensive process of cooperation between CMA, Mofa and its related overseas missions, and representative and trade offices of foreign countries in Taiwan.
Items from Bahrain, Brunei, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somaliland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are among the main features to showcase the different styles of
Islamic culture.
Apart from the exhibition, on the weekend of April 17 and 18, an outdoor event will be held at the plaza outside the National Dr Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall to offer visitors an Islamic cultural experience.
Visitors will be treated to live calligraphy displays, and gain an opportunity to understand Taiwan's halal certification system and industrial development.
After sunset, they can experience the Islamic tradition of breaking fast and sampling of halal snacks.
The exhibition and interactive events are designed to present the profound Islamic spirit and cultural ethos in an accessible way.
In addition, an introduction to the development of Islam and the Muslim community in Taiwan will give the Taiwanese people a better understanding of Islamic culture, strengthen multicultural exchanges and cooperation, and foster mutual respect and tolerance among different groups in society.
TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND
CULTURAL OFFICE
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times