離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan ‘heroes’ to parade
Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung, center, and other officials in Taipei yesterday hold up a banner bearing the route for tomorrow’s victory parade to celebrate Taiwan’s performance during the Taipei Summer Universiade. Photo: Shen Pei-yao, Taipei Times
By Lee I-chia / Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Education yesterday announced that a victory parade to celebrate the national team’s outstanding performance at the Taipei Summer Universiade would begin in front of the Presidential Office at 4pm tomorrow.
Details of the “Taiwan’s Heroes Parade” were made available yesterday morning, following the office’s announcement of the event on Monday.
Taiwan’s medal tally shattered records set by the nation at previous Universiade games, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung （潘文忠） said.
“The original goal was to win 11 gold medals … but the outcome significantly surpassed our expectations,” he said. “The perseverence and sportsmanship that our athletes have shown moved and inspired us all.”
The ministry and the Taipei City Government would jointly hold the parade for all Taiwanese to celebrate the national team’s “incredible” performance and share their glory and joy, he said.
The Taipei Universiade is the first time Taiwan has ever held such a prestigious international sports event and also the first time the national team has achieved such an outstanding performance, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chen Ching-jun （陳景峻） said.
The parade is to set out from Ketagalan Boulevard at 4pm tomorrow, pass through Chongqing S Road and Xiangyang Road, before coming to its first stop on Guangjan Road （館前路）, where traffic control is to be enforced, General Association of Chinese Culture Deputy Secretary-General Lee Hou-ching （李厚慶） said.
The parade is to continue to Zhongxiao W Road, Taipei Railway Station and onto Zhongxiao E Road, where performances are to be staged at Longmen Square near Dinghaao Plaza （頂好商圈）, and head toward commercial areas in Xinyi District （信義）, including a circle around Taipei 101, where foreign tourists would be able to join the parade, Lee said.
Several stations along the 9km parade route are to give out free flags for people who want to cheer the athletes, with the parade expected to reach its final destination, Taipei City Hall at about 5:30pm, Lee said.
Most of the athletes in the national team, especially those who won medals or broke records, are to attend the parade and the government encourages everyone to come and cheer for them, Sports Administration Director-General Lin Te-fu （林德福） said.
The city government is grateful to the central government for its assistance running events smoothly, Chen said, adding that although many people were doubtful about the Universiade’s tickets sales before it started, it eventually achieved the highest-ever tickets sales for the university games.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je （柯文哲） yesterday said on Facebook that more than 85 percent of the Taipei Universiade’s tickets had been sold as of Monday evening.
“I want to thank each and every one of you who went to the venues to watch the games. Your cheers have given the athletes who are competing at home more strength to compete in games,” he wrote. “The legends on the fields were together created by the young athletes and all of you.”
Ko wrote that as the Universiade comes to an end, he hopes it created many happy memories for everyone.
The closing ceremony is to be held at the Taipei Municipal Stadium at 6:30pm today.
Traffic controls in the surrounding area are to be enforced from 3pm until midnight, and people attending the ceremony are encouraged to use public transportation, to avoid carrying prohibited items, and to arrive early so that they have time to pass through security.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
