For the last five decades, Taiwan Panorama has faithfully recorded Taiwan’s transformation and growth. We have witnessed the change from all-out pursuit of economic growth to environmental sustainability, and the progress of freedom, including women’s participation in society and the legalization of same-sex marriage. However, what we find most touching in this reporting is the humanitarian spirit that makes Taiwanese society gentle yet tenacious.
For many years, we have recorded the care and concern contributed by Catholic priests and nuns in Taiwan. With “God is love” as their motto, they have devoted their youths and even their whole lives to this land. This love is also manifested in the determination and faith with which Taiwanese face difficulties. Eden Social Welfare Foundation founder Liu Hsia told Taiwan Panorama: “Hardship is the best way to learn confidence and patience, and the best way to face hardship is not to hide from it, but to defeat it.” After Typhoon Morakot devastated Indigenous communities in Southern Taiwan, we described the difficult choices faced by residents in the reconstruction process. We also have told the stories of Taiwan’s agricultural assistance missions in Africa—how they have worked together with local people, winning their friendship and respect. Whether in medical services to Saudi Arabia in earlier days or the response to Covid-19, our island has shown perseverance and resilience, proving that “Taiwan can help.”
Taiwan Panorama’s task is to preserve such heartwarming “footprints” in words and pictures. In times when information technology was less developed, the magazine was like a “mini-guide to healthcare,” showing kindhearted concern for sufferers from conditions such as AIDS or depression. We have also highlighted how Taiwanese enterprises focus on meeting clients’ needs, partnering with the world with integrity and dedication. Such reports have helped reshape Taiwan’s image as not only a “high-tech island” or “economic miracle” but also a compassionate, resilient society. Flipping through these pages, we hope you can feel the love that transcends ethnicity, gender, and national borders, and can lead us to a better future.
Looking ahead, Taiwan Panorama will continue in its founding mission of showcasing Taiwan to the world, and endeavor to serve as an important platform for Taiwan’s cultural diplomacy. In multiple languages, through diverse forms of media, we will continue to promote Taiwan’s soft power.
How fortunate we are to be living in Taiwan! Please stay with us as we write more uplifting stories of this land, stories which belong to all of us.
