Participation Declaration

Taiwan made its debut in the Cultural Olympiad at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The goal was to transform cultural soft power into a supportive force that cheers on athletes from Taiwan and showcases the island’s diverse and inclusive culture on the international stage. In 2024, the Ministry of Culture was once again invited to participate in the Paris Cultural Olympiad. In line with the Olympic Games' motto Made for Sharing, the theme Welcome Freedom was proposed. Creators from all generations and ethnic groups have been invited to focus on freedom and help to unite people through culture. The goal is to convey the creative energy from Taiwan's mountains and seas, highlighting the land's diversity and beauty.

Freedom symbolizes Taiwan. The Taiwan Pavilion at the Paris Cultural Olympiad is a performance venue brimming with freedom and diversity. The spotlight shines on treasures from across Taiwan. The venue seamlessly blends tradition and contemporary elements, local and international influences, as well as art and technology, every corner emanating the essence of creativity. The fusion of traditional art forms with innovative trends consistently delivers delightful surprises to the Cultural Olympiad. Each program serves as a free paintbrush, illustrating the richness of Taiwanese culture and enabling the audience to immerse themselves, experiencing the allure of freedom firsthand. This platform not only showcases Taiwanese culture but also serves as a playground for artists to create freely, unleashing boundless creativity and presenting their unique artistic styles. Outstanding drama, vibrant dance, electrifying music, and artists' unique creations collectively elevate this free island into a vibrant exclamation point of vitality!

The Performing-Art Series will feature 22 invited performance groups presenting their works under four compelling themes: Sound of Freedom, Island Elegance, Contemporary New Art, and World Integration. Sound of Freedom captures the essence of freedom, blending local sounds with cross-cultural influences. It focuses on unique musical styles, incorporating local elements into innovative works that resonate with the charm and diversity of Taiwan. Island Elegance presents a fusion of the contemporary and the traditional, intertwining various artistic styles and cultural elements. Through innovative theater productions, electronic fusions, traditional practices, modern music, Hakka pop, indigenous electronic remixes, new opera arrangements, and exquisite performances, these showcases embody the spirit of artistic advancement and cultural integration. Contemporary New Art amalgamates diverse forms of musical expression, such as blending the essence of Taiwanese religion with electronic music, integrating traditional Chinese instruments into modern melodies, combining a variety of old and modern instruments, and incorporating piano, percussion, guitar, electronic noise, and synthesizers to craft minimalist compositions. World Integration showcases the essence of global inclusion through captivating performances of international music, drag shows, an all-female circus, and explorations of cross-cultural dance collaborations.

For the Visual-Art Series, works by artists in the collection of the Art Bank Taiwan have been selected to be shown under four themes: Taiwan Customs, Taiwanese People, Taiwan Eyes, and Taiwan Stories. The exhibit categories encompass two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and video image art, featuring the works of nearly 300 artists. Through the exhibitions, visitors can experience the beauty and diversity of Taiwan, delve into the daily lives and emotions of its people, explore historical narratives, and engage with contemporary visions aimed at addressing global issues together. Taiwan's multicultural landscape and innovative artistic energy are thus intricately intertwined and vividly presented. The aim is to showcase the vitality of young and emerging talents to the world, and to share Taiwan's journey and commitment to embracing values such as freedom, equality, gender diversity, ethnic identity, mother tongue preservation, and multiculturalism with everyone.