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TAIWANESE AMERICAN
HERITAGE WEEK 2002
For
immediate release
May 11, 2002
Week-long
celebrations of the fourth annual Taiwanese American Heritage
Week (TAHW) will take place across the United States during
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month starting from the
Mothers Day weekend.
On May
1st this year, President Bush stated in his proclamation
of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Our Nations
rich cultural diversity reflects our Constitutions
core vision of freedom and justice for all. Throughout our
history, Asian/Pacific Americans have made great contributions
to Americans heritage and prosperity. Through
the years, Asian immigrants and Pacific Islanders have enriched
the American way of life. Furthermore, President
Bush proclaimed, I call upon our citizens to learn
more about the history of Asian/Pacific American and how
they have contributed so much to our national heritage and
culture.
This
special week honors the outstanding contributions of over
500,000 Taiwanese Americans to our nations social,
economic and political life, as well as provides an opportunity
for all to learn more about Taiwanese heritage and ancestry.
The celebration is also a vehicle to promote the image and
welfare of Taiwanese Americans and to enhance mutual understanding
and stronger unity among different generation of Taiwanese
Americans.
Year
2002 is special as Americans from all backgrounds express
appreciation for the support of their fellow citizens in
the Taiwanese American community in the aftermath of the
September 11 tragedy. Taiwanese Americans responded overwhelmingly
to the relief effort, another example of the communitys
steadfast commitment to democracy and human rights. As Rep.
Henry Hyde (R-IL), Chairman of the Committee on International
Relations, noted in his May 7th letter to TAHW
celebration participants, This is yet another example
of the Taiwanese communitys support for the preservation
of the institutions of this democracy, as well as its values,
and for the maintenance of the rule of law under the threat
of international terrorism.
Finally,
2002 is a significant year as Rep. David Wu (D-OR), the
first Taiwanese American elected to the Congress, introduced
H. Res. 411, Supporting the goals of Taiwanese American
Heritage Week, which recognizes the profound
importance of Taiwanese Americans to the United States
and declares that the warm relations and bilateral
exchange between the people of the United States and Taiwan
should grow on May 2nd.
We
are proud at FAPA to have initiated the annual TAHW, and
we are thrilled to see the celebration grow tremendously
at the national and local level every year, stated
FAPA President, Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D.
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