February 1, 2019
AIT Press Release #: PR-1901
“AIT@40: Strong Foundation, Bright Future”:
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and
AIT’s Role Building a Strong U.S.-Taiwan Relationship
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), proudly announces the launch of a yearlong campaign called AIT@40. This campaign will celebrate 40 years of friendship and partnership between the United States and Taiwan since the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Each month, the AIT@40 campaign explores a different facet of the relationship, with monthly themes such as Trade & Investment, Shared Values, and Education. Our campaign will not only recognize past accomplishments, but also look at ongoing and future efforts, as exemplified by our motto “Strong Foundation, Bright Future.” [立穩根基，共創未來]
The AIT@40 campaign kicks off the new year by exploring U.S.-Taiwan cooperation in the Sciences, headlined by the February 26 opening of the U.S.-Taiwan Space & Astronomy Exhibition at the Taipei Museum of Astronomy, in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), National Space Organization (NSO), Taipei City Government, Academia Sinica, and Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology. Later this month, AIT welcomes Dr. Jenna Jambeck, a professor and environmental engineer who will participate in the Southern Taiwan Youth Ocean Forum and meet with environmental experts and stakeholders across Taiwan. AIT will also organize a film screening for local high school students of the Academy Award-nominated film “Hidden Figures,” which tells the true story of brilliant, determined African-American women who overcame racial and gender barriers to make meaningful contributions to the success of the U.S. space program.
Other components of the AIT@40 Campaign during 2019 include:
- U.S.-Taiwan Travel Year: In honor of AIT@40, we have declared 2019 a U.S.-Taiwan Travel Year. All year, in cooperation with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, we will hold events promoting two-way travel between the United States and Taiwan. As part of the U.S.-Taiwan Travel Year, the Discover America Committee (DAC) and AIT are cohosting an online photo competition called “U.S.A. Through My Eyes,” offering prizes each quarter. For more information, please visit us at: http://photos.discoveramerica.org.tw/
- “Strong Foundation, Bright Future AIT@40” Traveling Exhibition: After its popular three-month stay at the National 228 Museum, the AIT@40 Exhibition has begun its tour around Taiwan. The exhibition is already open at the Kaohsiung History Museum, where it will run through April, 2019. Throughout the year, the AIT@40 Exhibition will move to other venues, with a reception on February 19 at the Hinoki Village in Chiayi, March in Pingtung, and April in Tainan. Other dates and locations will be publicized as they are confirmed.
- TRA@40 Celebration: This April, AIT will host a celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act. We hope this event will include key figures in the U.S.-Taiwan partnership, including members of the U.S. Congress and other Washington visitors.
- AIT@40 Social Media Campaign: AIT plans to launch an Instagram account in the coming weeks. Throughout 2019, AIT’s Facebook and Instagram accounts will feature posts related to the AIT@40 monthly themes, will highlight key moments in U.S.-Taiwan history, and will offer chances to win exciting prizes.
- AIT@40 Video Campaign: AIT invites the people of Taiwan – members of the public, prominent public figures, program alumni, our Facebook fans – to send us short videos of them using just one sentence to answer the question: “What does the U.S.-Taiwan relationship mean to you?” You can find instructions on how to submit your videos at (Chinese): https://www.ait.org.tw/zhtw/ait-at-40-video-campaign-zh/ or English: https://www.ait.org.tw/ait-at-40-video-campaign/
Strong Foundation, Bright Future!
立穩根基，共創未來
