Taiwanese Hakka global convention held in Brisbane

The 2019 Global Hakka Cultural Meeting and Taiwanese Hakka Convention (全球客家文化會議暨臺灣客家懇親大會) that was held from Aug. 11 through 13 in Brisbane saw about 600 people from 15 countries participate. Young delegates of the Hakka Youth International Affairs Mission served as volunteers at the meeting, seizing the chance to take part in global Hakka affairs.

Taiwanese Hakka global convention held in Brisbane

The opening ceremony was attended by Wu Hsin-hsing (吳新興), minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council; Yii-lih Charng (常以立), representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia; MP Peter Russo; Councilor Steven Huang (黃文毅); Angela Owen, former council speaker; Chiou Chwei-liang (邱垂亮), University of Queensland professor; and Lin Kuang-hua (林光華), former Hsinchu County Magistrate.

The opening ceremony began with a pre-recorded video of President Tsai Ing-wen’s congratulatory speech, in which she thanked the organizer for launching the event, praised the outstanding achievements of Taiwanese Hakkas, and emphasized that her administration spares no effort in preserving Hakka culture and has formally ratified Hakka as one of Taiwan’s national languages.

A joint exhibition on Taiwan’s farm products took place

A series of activities took place, including lectures and performances, in which lecture topics encompassed cultural exchanges between Maori and Hakka communities and inspiring stories of entrepreneurship. Hakka folk songs and traditional operas were also performed for a captivated audience.

Moreover, there was a joint exhibition on Taiwan’s farm products aimed at boosting the agricultural industry of Hakka settlements. Chefs of the Hakka Cuisine Touring Workshop program also brought signature Hakka dishes to satisfy the participants’ hunger for Hakka flavors.

Hakka opera was performed at the convention

Representatives of the participating Hakka associations then elected the African Taiwanese Hakka Federation (非洲客家聯合總會) as the organizer and convener for the next edition of the global Hakka conference in 2021.

The biennial convention unites overseas compatriots, celebrates the Hakka identity, and strengthens cultural pride. Through such gatherings, it is hoped that Hakka culture will be promoted on the world stage and passed down for the future generations of Hakka communities in Taiwan and abroad.