《TAIPEI TIMES》Netherlands guest of honor country at this year’s book fair

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

The Taipei International Book Exhibition is to be held from Feb. 20 to Feb. 25, with representatives from the Netherlands, Thailand, France, Germany and Belgium yesterday introducing highlights from their participation in this year’s event.

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This year marks the 400th anniversary of the historical connection between Taiwan and the Netherlands, whose Dutch East India Co established a base in southwestern Taiwan in 1624, Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hwi （李靜慧） said at a news conference in Taipei.

As the guest of honor country this year, the Netherlands is to have a “cultural reunion” with Taiwan at the exhibition through reading, she said.

Participating in the exhibition is to be the first of a series of events held by the Netherlands Office Taipei this year to honor 400 years of relations, office Director Guido Tielman said.

The Dutch Pavilion is designed by Dutch architecture firm MVRDV to showcase the freedom of creation shared by the Netherlands and Taiwan, he said.

Taking inspiration from history and celebrating diversity, inclusiveness and sustainability, the pavilion embraces a “no-waste” philosophy and only uses recyclable materials, MVRDV associate director and Taiwan head Liao Hui-hsin （廖慧昕） said.

The Dutch delegation is to consist of writers, illustrators, translators, literary agents and publishers, including the winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novelette Thomas Olde Heuvelt, and novelist and contemporary thinker Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, she said.

In addition to forums and reading meetings, the pavilion is to feature Miffy, a popular fictional rabbit character created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna, an interactive event of pairing Dutch cheeses and Taiwanese tea and an electronic music party, she added.

Thailand is to send the biggest international delegation to the exhibition with more than 80 members, including popular boys’ love authors JittiRain and Patrick Rangsimant, Thailand Trade Office in Taipei Director Kallaya Leewongcharoen said.

The French and Belgium delegations both center on illustration and comic book creators and publishers this year. French Office in Taipei Deputy Director Cecile Renault said that their works often deal with social issues that resonate with global readers.

The German Pavilion is to double as a hair salon during the exhibition, with hairdresser and writer Danny Beuerbach asking volunteers to read him a book while he does their hair, Goethe-Institute in Taipei Director Theresa Hummer said.

Beuerbach has been organizing this “Book a Look” program for children around Germany to let them learn in a playful way.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES