News & Events >> 2007

Cobb County Senior Citizens Celebrate Lunar New Year

February 1, 2007

Geneva Eddington of Cobb County Senior Services Department led a group of about sixty seniors to the Cultural Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta to learn about Lunar New Year. They were welcomed by Director General R.C. Wu and his colleagues and heard a short speech about Taiwan’s unique Lunar New Year traditions followed by a colorful video that displayed Taiwanese culture. Mr. Wu stressed to the audience that Taiwan is unique in upholding the authentic Lunar New Year traditions that are highly valued by the Taiwanese people.

Ms. Shu-Fang Chen played a beautiful gu zheng (zither) solo before the group headed to a buffet banquet with local Taiwanese-American seniors. Representative Matt Dollar (R-Cobb County) said a few words about his recent visit to Taiwan and encouraged his constituents to learn more about Taiwanese culture and everyone mingled over authentic Taiwanese foods that included the traditional Lunar New Year sweet rice cakes. The group left with smiling faces and many comments on their new friends and knowledge about Taiwanese culture.

Civic activities and diplomacy between citizens plays an integral role in the bond between Taiwan and its international friends and its aspirations toward global recognition. TECO in Atlanta works to further the interests of Taiwan in the Southeast U.S. and its success is partly due to the active role that the Taiwanese Americans play in their respective international communities.

駐亞特蘭大辦事處與卡布郡長春中心會員歡度農曆新年

來自喬治亞州卡布(Cobb)郡長春中心會員們，日前在駐亞特蘭大台北經濟文化辦事處僑教中心提前度過了一個溫馨的農曆春節，與會者在台北經文處的盛情接待下，不僅對台灣民眾過年習俗有深入瞭解，也對台灣傳統藉由年節喜慶所展現敬天惜人美德及重視家庭價值觀念印象深刻。

這是台北經文處第二度舉辦「春之饗宴」活動招待卡布郡長春中心會員，由於去年活動的成功，會員們在口耳相傳下，本年報名人數倍增，讓原本在經文處辦公室辦理的活動不得不移師僑教中心，經文處也邀請幾十位亞城重陽會會員前來聯誼兼做國民外交，現場百餘人使整個活動熱鬧非凡。

而為了迎接這些大多未曾經歷農曆年節氣氛的訪賓，僑教中心當天特別精心佈置一番，除了應景的燈籠、鞭炮及大紅春聯外，加上現場展示的布袋戲偶和八仙彩，讓賓客們在抵達後就感受到濃濃的節慶氣氛。經文處處長吳榮泉首先致詞歡迎與會貴賓，並說明台灣的歷史背景、風土民情以及經貿現況，隨後播放新聞局精心製作的「年」影片，透過鏡頭將台灣傳統人家過年期間從大年夜閤家團圓、初二回娘家、初五開市、初九拜天公，直到初十五元宵等各個節慶活動，生動的呈現在與會者面前。而亞城古箏名師陳淑芳更在活動中演奏應景的新春樂曲，陳老師的精湛演出不僅帶動會場氣氛，也讓在座賓客大開眼界。

台北經文處在表演節目結束後以餐會招待來訪的長青會員及亞城重陽會會員代表，卡布郡選出的喬州眾議員Matt Dollar也到場向選民致意，D議員致詞表示去年有幸應邀訪台，對台灣的經濟進步及社會和諧至今印象深刻，至盼台美各項互惠互利關係與日增進。僑務委員陳獻士也代表亞城僑界向大家賀節，出席的亞城鄉親在餐敘中忙著向長青會員們說明台灣的過年習俗，現場的熱烈氣氛足以媲美台灣的尾牙宴，讓許多平日生活恬淡的長青會員，臉上散發著難得的興奮神情，堪稱一次成功的文化外交。

Rev 2/15/08