Through a video conference today (Oct. 25), the Mayor of Tainan City, Mayor Huang Wei-che, met Mayor LaToya Cantrell of the City of New Orleans to formalize the sister city relationship. Tainan City has once again formed an alliance with an internationally renowned city after signing the Exchange Agreement with Kyoto, Japan. This marked a new chapter for Tainan in international city diplomacy.
Attendants of the virtual signing ceremony included Mr. Thomas Wong (Branch Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan's Kaohsiung Branch Office), Mr. Robert Lo (Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston), Mr. Jerry Chang (Director General on Home Assignment of the Department of North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Dr. Ching-Chang Lee (Executive Vice-President of National Cheng Kung University).
Mayor Huang indicated that after the video conference with Mayor Cantrell last November, both sides reached the consensus of forming "Sister Cities". This relationship allows both cities to focus on exchanges at educational, cultural, and touristic levels. Particularly now when the US-Taiwan relationship has become very solid, such an alliance is certainly of great significance for Tainan as it is the pragmatic depiction of Taiwan-US friendship.
Mayor Huang also added that Tainan is eagerly looking for more partners for international educative collaborations. Today (Oct. 25) National Cheng Kung University signed a bilateral memorandum of cooperation with Xavier University of Louisiana, which located in New Orleans. It is hoped that the students and faculty staff of both institutions can be benefited from this achievement. Taking educational cooperation as an opportunity, Tainan and New Orleans will gradually fulfill the different goals set within.
By pointing out the internationally renowned jazz music and Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans, Mayor Huang acknowledged the numerous cooperation opportunities between both cities in the field of arts and culture as Tainan is the “cultural capital” of Taiwan. On top of that, Tainan will also commemorate the city’s 400th anniversary in 2024, so he invited Mayor Cantrell and her team to visit Tainan, hoping that the friendship may long last.
Mayor Cantrell recalled that New Orleans participated in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act in 2019 and has always maintained good interactions with Taiwan. Today’s formation of the sister city relationship and the memorandum of cooperation signed between Xavier University of Louisiana and National Cheng Kung University are in fact the further extension of Taiwan-US long-term friendship. She hoped that both sides can continue exploring the different possibilities of cooperation and exchanges, in particular cultural interactions and activities for the younger generations.
Mr. Thomas Wong (Branch Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan's Kaohsiung Branch Office) congratulated the formalization of the sister city relationship between Tainan and New Orleans, hoping that such a relationship can further promote exchange opportunities for American and Taiwanese citizens.
Mr. Robert Lo (Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston) expressed his honor and pleasure to be the witness of the sisterhood formation, as well as the signing of the memorandum of cooperation between Xavier University of Louisiana and National Cheng Kung University in the virtual meeting today. In fact, he looks forward to furthering cooperation between the two cities, while TECO will try its best to assist in any future exchanges.
Located in Louisiana, USA, the City of New Orleans has a long history accompanied by enriched cultural resources as it has preserved the many elements that came along with the French, Spanish and African immigrants. Also, New Orleans is regarded as the birthplace of jazz music where the father of jazz music, Louis Armstrong, came from. Every year, Mardi Gras takes place in New Orleans, which is a festivity that attracts immeasurable tourists from all around the world.