A big production was held on the 24th of November 2013, to mark the 10th anniversary of Mr. Sayling Wen’s passing. Co-organized by Sayling Wen Cultural and Educational Foundation and iSee Taiwan Foundation, the event not only paid tribute to Mr. Sayling Wen himself, but also to his global vision as well as his beliefs on human-centric mindsets. The event was designed with an international outlook, that mirrors the work the two Foundations have been carrying out; both on engaging people and reaching out to the world to show the country in a different perspective.
The commemorative event attracted around 3000 guests from various sectors and industries in Taiwan. Among them were Dr. Chiang Pin-kung, Chairman of The Third Wednesday Club and Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, as well as former chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation; Wang Chien-shien, president then of The Control Yuan Republic of China (Taiwan); Chiang Wei-ling, minister at the time of the Ministry of Education; and Academia Sinica Academician Ovid Tzeng.
Ted Wen, the chairman for both Foundations, stated that he was deeply inspired by his father’s ideals. ‘A human-centric mindset and a global view with local aspects’, he said, were his father’s vision that he was most influenced by. At the opening speech, Mr. Wen quoted his father’s words as a summation of his thoughts - “There is only one type of person in this world : those who need to be cared for “.
With this in mind, Mr. Wen endeavored to make both the Foundations more globally minded and more people orientated. In 2008, he embarked on a venture to promote the exquisite service industry. iSee Taiwan Foundation played a role in expanding Taiwan’s exquisite service market, while the Sayling Wen Cultural and Educational Foundation took on the responsibility for training up the new service talent to meet the demand. Together, with a combined pool of resources, both Foundations aim to deliver a high quality, high value with global perspective service industry.
And so the elements of “high quality, high value and global perspective” were the aspects of Taiwan depicted in the show. There was a big lineup of highly acclaimed performing groups, such as Cultural Arts Performing Taipei, Philharmonia Moments Musicaux, Loloko Choir from Nantou County, a duet act by singer Freya Lim and pianist Eric Chen, Diabolo Dance Theatre, and the Taipei Irish Dance Academy. With a mixture of educational programs, a blend of global aspects and a cultural tourism approach, produced a truly astounding show that represented Taiwan at its finest.
At the end of the event, guests and performers joined Mr. Ted Wen and Executive Director Ms. Audrey Yang to turn on the spotlights, creating a spectacular sight. A “flying boat” was launched into the air, as a symbol of Taiwan’s determination to sail out into the world. When a mass of small lights were turned on, giant colorful balls representing the five continents were rolled around the audience, signifying Taiwan’s determination to think globally, so long as the people stand together.
