Taiwan Human Rights and Cultural Association and about 60 civil groups co-sponsored the fair Human Rights Education and a march.

December 10 was the Human Rights Day, Taiwan Human Rights and Cultural Association and about 60 civil groups co-sponsored the fair Human Rights Education and a march. The parade started at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and marched along the Art Museum Parkway for a total length of 2.3 km. It presented six proposals to the central government, including the announcement of December of each year as the “Human Rights Education Month.” Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-ying presented her concern on behalf of the Mayor, and thanked the civil groups to voice for human rights. She promised that Taichung City Government will continue to promote education, culture, and welfare policies to benefits the co-existence of multicultural groups in Taichung.

Deputy Mayor Lin also expressed her gratitude to the sponsor for its concern about human rights. With the educational activities held on that day, it would help promote respect among different ethnic groups, recalling Mayor Lin Chia-lung’s ideal of the “Beauty of Taichung implies the co-existence of multicultural and multiracial groups.”

Deputy Mayor Lin pointed out that since the inauguration of Mayor, he has supported human rights issues with action. He not only changed the “First Square” into the “AESAN Square” and transformed Taichung into a new immigrants and migrant workers friendly city but also promoted the “all-in-one baby care” and “all-in-one senior care” policies. He takes care of people regardless of their age, gender, and ethnicity. Continuing to promote the “peace project” he cares about the indigenous peoples. Step by step, he has been consolidating his ideal of constructing Taichung into a “livable city”, inhabitable by all ethnic and gender groups.

The Social Affairs Bureau expressed that Taiwan was a multicultural and multiracial society, showing respect to basic human rights. Today the sponsor had invited many different groups to conduct exchange on the issues of education, gender, produce, medicine, social welfare, environment, indigenous peoples, new immigrants, migrant workers, homeless people, judicial reformation, Taiwan consciousness and more to promote further understandings among different social groups.

In the fair, in addition to selling merchandise with the theme of 2/28 incident, the stall operated by Central Taiwan Youth United also hold a print exhibition on Taiwan democratic events. They hoped to allow people to know more about the progress of history in Taiwan from the era of authoritative rule to the age of democracy in order to gain their support of “transitional justice.”

In addition, the sponsor also designed a point collection and challenge game. Visitors could claim bonus gifts or buy things at discount price in the bazaar. It was educational as well as entertaining, attracting many parents and children to attend the fair. To decrease the discharge of carbon dioxide, the fair used “hydrogen fuel generators” and “solar power generators” to supply the electricity, promoting voluntary acts in conserving the environment.

The sponsor proposed 6 major appeals today, including 1. The central government should regard December as the “Human Rights Education Month” to consolidate human rights education. 2. Pay more concern to minority groups to construct an inter-group exchange and mutual help platform. 3. Emphasize on human rights of different genders to consolidate the values of human rights, such as gender equality and more. 4. Pay more attention on the choice of education to promote diverse education to allow education resume to autonomous choice. 5. Pay more attention to environment and survival rights by setting up control on total volume and draft the blueprint for a sustaining country. 6. Promote self-determination for indigenous peoples to construct Taiwan into a multicultural and multiracial country in which mutual respect prevails. It is hoped that Taiwan will become a society in which people respect each other and help each other.