• 2023-09-12

The National Central Library signed an agreement with the world-renowned cultural institution of France, Bibliothèque publique d'information du Centre Pompidou (BCP), in Paris on the afternoon of May 31, 2023. The agreement was signed by NCL Director-General Shu-hsien Tseng and BCP Director Christine Carrier. Working behind the scenes to make this happen was Representative Chih-chung Wu from the Bureau de Représentation de Taipei en France, who was invited to give remarks at the event. Also in attendance were Director of the Education Section Mei-chen Lu and the directors of many departments (including the international collaboration department) from BCP.

Director-General Shu-hsien Tseng stated BCP is a part of the Centre Pompidou. Signing this agreement aims at strengthening the collaborative relationship between the two libraries and to jointly promote reading and raise cultural literacy. It also will provide opportunities in the future for libraries and personnel to engage in cultural exchange, and through the sharing of experiences and resources lay a firm foundation for more collaborative projects to engage in. NCL will help even more people overseas come to understand Taiwan culture through its collaboration with the Centre Pompidou and in disseminating publications from Taiwan.

As one of the most important modern and contemporary art centers in Europe, BCP is known for its abundance of materials and its creative cultural events. It was established in 1977 and is located in the four-story building of the Centre Pompidou. It boasts a lot of space and modernized facilities. Its aim is to provide the public with an open and diverse knowledge resource with which to promote cultural exchange and understanding. It has over 500,000 volumes and more than 1,000 newspapers and magazines in its collection. It also has a sizable collection of audiovisual materials, including movies, videotapes, and musical scores. The library also hosts various cultural events and exhibitions, such as symposiums, reading groups, workshops, and forums. These events are used to promote the arts and culture, fully bringing together the function of both art center and library to create an innovative and inspiring environment. It has not only become an important cultural venue for Parisians but also for international visitors too. It has attracted many people from all over the world to come and seek knowledge, culture, and art. The amount of knowledge that has been exchanged and shared with people is amazing.

To express its appreciation to a new partner, the National Central Library presented BCP with a replica copy of the Diamond Sutra published in 1341. The original work is a national treasure in Taiwan and was the first dual-colored print version, making it extremely rare. Thus, in the history of printing, it enjoys a very important place. During its transmission, it became imbued with a rich sense of legend. By sharing such classics, it symbolizes the value and uniqueness of our mutual collaboration.