• 2023-06-05

In order to promote cultural exchanges between friendly states and help Taiwan to popularize diversified English-language reading and learning, the Embassy of Saint Vincent, hereafter ‘Saint Vincent’) donated books to the National Central Library on December 1. In addition to the ambassador, other diplomats, advisors and secretaries from the Embassy of Saint Vincent, ambassadors and other diplomats from such nations as Saint Lucia, the Kingdom of Eswatini, and Haiti, as well as Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Tah-ray Yui visited the book donation ceremony and delivered remarks. Also attending the event were cultural ambassadors from Saint Vincent and the president and chief executive of The Association of Students and Overseas Chinese of Saint Vincent as well as figures from information studies and education circles.

Dr. the Honorable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent delivered a speech to the ceremony by pre-recorded video, expressing great delight to be able to address the people of Taiwan at this opportunity presented by the Embassy of Saint Vincent donating books to the National Central Library. On this occasion, Saint Vincent donated 11 volumes of its superior works, two volumes of which were authored by Prime Minister Gonsalves. Prime Minister Gonsalves shared the background of his writing with enthusiasm and sincerity. In addition to introducing these two books, he also firmly expressed his stance of support for the Taiwan government and people.

Saint Vincent also especially arranged for Peggy Carr, the nation’s permanent cultural ambassador to Taiwan and the author of another of the donated books, to read from her works at the event. In addition, in order to promote the integration of culture-related books into teaching and cultural learning fields, and illustrate the relevant benefits for domestic teachers to observe and consult, it was arranged for P’ei-lin T’an and Pai-yu Yeh, two students from Yongan Elementary School, to demonstrate with a reading from the Saint Vincent children's English picture book Flippity Floppity Wing.