I'm sure that many of our long-time readers will be doing a double take at this issue--"What's this new magazine?"

This month marks the start of our thirtieth anniversary, and a new name and cover for the magazine: from this issue forth, Sinorama will be known as Taiwan Panorama. Overseas readers account for over 60% of our readership. Thirty years ago, when Sinorama was launched, there were no bilingual Chinese-English or Chinese-Japanese magazines to speak of, and the magazine's release earned the love and appreciation of people from around the world, Chinese or otherwise. But now, 30 years later, times have changed, and while the world has developed an eye for things Chinese, this is focusing across the strait, on mainland China. That Sinorama was a Taiwanese magazine wasn't immediately clear from the name, which was something we felt needed changing.

We believe that although Taiwan is small, it has a unique and vibrant culture of its own, but this is often overlooked as Taiwan is isolated and oppressed on the world stage. As a government publication, Taiwan Panorama should take some of the responsibility for showing the richness of Taiwan to the world, for helping make Taiwan's voice heard, and for helping the world understand what Taiwan faces.

But while the name has changed, our beliefs have not: we will remain, as ever, a platform for friendly interchange around the Chinese diaspora, and we will continue to provide our non-Chinese readers with the best window on the Chinese community. Our vision and beliefs will not change just because of a simple name change. Sinorama's mid-2005 report on the history and reality of Chinese-language education in Malaysia received substantial praise, and we intend to continue to show that same spirit, providing a bridge between Taiwan, the Chinese diaspora, and the world at large.

We would like to thank all our readers, in Taiwan and abroad, who have supported Sinorama throughout its 30-year run; readers like American resident and long-time reader Chang Yu-ning, who credits Sinorama with being a formative influence on his children's achievements, and Hsu Jui-wen (Vivien), a young reader who used Sinorama to introduce her friends in Australia to Taiwan. To overseas Taiwanese, Sinorama has been a slice of home; for readers in Taiwan, our earnest focus on our people and culture has made us a much appreciated oasis amongst an increasingly market-driven publishing industry.

Our thirtieth anniversary marks a new start for us as Taiwan Panorama, and with Chinese New Year just around the corner, the first issue of Taiwan Panorama is focusing on "The Hot New Travel Trend: Guesthouses," introducing the rural guesthouses of Taiwan. We hope that travelers will take this to heart and no longer be satisfied with flying visits, instead taking the time to sample the local flavor, share a home with locals, and experience how they live.

Our other feature, "All in the Family--Caregivers' Lonely Burden," investigates the ever-growing problem of caring for the elderly, and gives those who take on this lonely, difficult job a show of respect and support. In "The Stuff that Dreams Are Made Of--Second Chances and Self-Fulfillment," we celebrate those with the courage to pursue their dreams. "Humanity is made great through dreams," and to realize those dreams takes constant courage to overcome setbacks and keep one's spirits up. Every one of us has their own dreams and seeks to make them real, but once those dreams are achieved, we should always keep that same strength of will and never forget where we came from.