Based on the principles of ethnic mainstreaming, Hakka localization, communityization of arts and culture, industrial branding, and Hakka internationalization, the Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) will gradually implement a full range of new policies covering Hakka, culture, communication, knowledge system, art & literature innovation, historical interpretation, industrial & economic development, young talent cultivation, and international participation, injecting new energy into the Hakka community. The key policies are as follows:
1. Creating an environment for speaking native language in Hakka settlements through cross-sector collaboration
The Council strives to build an environment in schools, households, neighborhoods, and places in public spheres for using the Hakka. Through immersive Hakka-language education, the ethnic language can take roots during early childhood, and it can be continuously spoken in households and neighborhoods to create a natural Hakka-speaking environment. Additionally, HAC strengthens the language promotion from the private sectors to develop bottom-up spontaneous Hakka revival movements. The Council provides guidance for local government agencies to offer the Hakka interpretation service, enabling the Hakka to enter the public realm. It is expected that the cross-sector collaboration can accelerate the development of the Hakka revival, allowing the language to be passed down from generation to generation.
2. Completing Hakka infrastructure and promoting ethnic mainstreaming
The Council establishes basic principles for the use of Hakka Chinese characters to increase their popularity, and continue to promote the construction of Hakka corpus and related value-added applications. Through the training (cultivation) of Hakka teachers and academic talents, and industry-government-university partnership, HAC promotes the Hakka and Hakka-related studies, lays the foundation of the Hakka development, and constructs the thorough Hakka knowledge system. The Council collects opinions from various fields, implements the "National Hakka Development Plan," establishes a mechanism for the government to introduce ethnic views into policymaking decisions, and interdepartmentally promotes ethnic mainstreaming policies.
3. Implementing transitional justice to reshape new relations among various ethnic groups in Taiwan
HAC reviews the past history to restore the Hakka and ethnic dignity, simultaneously examine the relationship between the Hakka community and other ethnic groups, face the historical scars regardless of ethnic identities, identify with each other’s language and culture, facilitate interracial communication and interaction, reshape new ethnic relations, and re-establish the cultural identity of ethnic groups.
4. Refining Hakka performing arts and raising the quality and prestige of Hakka communication
The Council provides assistance to train (cultivate) Hakka art and cultural talents and offers a platform for performing artists. Through the combination of traditional and contemporary elements, the unique style of Hakka arts is displayed to maintain Hakka vitality. In response to the trend in multimedia technologies, HAC produces and broadcasts diversified Hakka programs addressing social issues to market Hakka with innovative ideas, strengthen the capacity of Hakka communication, and build the cornerstone of Hakka communication’s sustainable operation.
5. Rebuilding new life of Hakka settlements through cross-sector integrated governance
The Council integrates cross-sector resources to promote the “Hakka 369” project in phases and years. Combining Hakka resources with Taiwan’s beautiful geographical landscapes and buildings, HAC re-constructs cultural landscapes in Hakka settlements and restores cultural ecology. Additionally, the Council helps to create a high quality environment for the industrial development and encourages Hakka youth to return to their hometowns for creating or finding job opportunities, thereby driving the economic development in Hakka settlements and strengthening Hakka power.
6. Strengthening the support system of Hakka civil society and promoting mainstreaming of global Hakka
In partnership with Hakka associations at home and abroad, the Council helps develop civic power, youth power, social power, and senior power, using technologies to optimize the Hakka affairs participation mode so as to deepen civic engagement. Furthermore, HAC launches international exchange programs for the Hakka community to strengthen ethnic and cultural interactions, market Taiwan’s Hakka culture, and raise the international visibility of Hakka and Taiwan.
7. Enriching Hakka collection resources and preserving shared historical memories
HAC helps to conduct extensive research and investigation of historical and cultural relics in Hakka settlements, employing technologies and creativity to add value to the collection resources and build the unique cultural creative brand. Through programs for inter-museum collaboration and organizational exchanges, the Council connects with the global Hakka community to preserve Hakka cultural assets, enabling Hakka historical memories to be shared by the world.