Recipients of the Honorary Medal 2020 of World NGO Day were announced recently. Because of her outstanding performance for the promotion of civil society and non-governmental organizations, Mayor Lu Shiow-yean of Taichung City became the first mayor in East Asia to be awarded with" the Honorary Medal 2020 of World NGO Day." According to the Social Affairs Bureau, after her inauguration, Mayor Lu established headquarters and platforms for local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), encouraged NGOs to participate in international exchange programs and facilitated diplomatic relationships. Mayor Lu would like to thank her cabinet for their support and attributed her award to the NGOs and those participating in civil affairs programs. She called for their continuous cooperation to build Taichung as a happy city.
The founder of the international calendar day for Non-governmental organizations, Marcis Liors Skadmanis, said that since 1980, Taiwan's NGOs have experienced booming development and in Taichung City, there are more than 3,900 NGOs. These organizations have served Taichung and played an important role. After being elected, Mayor Lu pursued the same philosophy has been continuously promoting NGO affairs. The World NGO Day based on Mayor Lu's important works and achievements, decided to award her " the Honorary Medal 2020 of World NGO Day."
Marcis Liors Skadmanis pointed out that under the leadership of Mayor Lu, the Taichung City Government has built headquarters and platforms for local and international NGOs. For example, in the 31st Taiwan Lantern Festival this February, about 5,000 local and international voluntary workers were mobilized. Additionally, the Taichung City Government encourages NGOs to participate in various international exchange programs to promote diplomatic relationships. The World NGO Day thanked Mayor Lu and her cabinet for their efforts and support for NGOs and civil society in Taiwan and Taichung.
In the 2010 Baltic Sea NGO Forum of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, 12 member states formally recognized the World NGO Day. On February 27, 2014, the EU, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the UN, the UNESCO, and hundreds of NGOs and international leaders gathered in Finland to celebrate the first World NGO Day. Since 2020, in order to recognize the important roles of works of civil society and NGOs or mayors and leaders of NGOs who provide a better public understanding about the World NGO Day, on the World NGO Day (February 27th) each year, the Honorary Medal is presented. This year two mayoralty medals and one individual medal were presented. Due to the lockdown of COVID-19 in the UK, the Medal was sent to Taiwan recently to present to Mayor Lu.