San jos©: San Jos©, California’s third-largest city, on Friday proclaimed Oct. 25 as “Taiwanese Day” to honor the contributions of Taiwanese communities and recognize their role in restoring Overfelt Park’s Chinese Cultural Garden. A flag-raising ceremony displaying the national flags of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the United States was held at the San Jos© City Hall plaza, attended by Taiwanese expatriates and various officials including Councilmember Peter Ortiz.
According to Focus Taiwan, the councilmember, who represents District 5 in East San Jos©, expressed pride and joy in proclaiming the day to celebrate the contributions of Taiwanese communities and the deep bonds that unite everyone. Ortiz also thanked the nonprofit Sino American Heritage Foundation for their efforts in launching a fundraising campaign aimed at restoring the Chinese Cultural Garden to its former beauty.
The proclamation of “Taiwanese Day” was made to acknowledge the foundation’s efforts, with the San Jos© City Council set to formally issue the designation on Oct. 28. The foundation highlighted that the garden, established in the 1970s, has deteriorated over the years due to wear and tear, insufficient maintenance, and recent acts of vandalism. Immediate action is crucial to preserve this invaluable landmark, which embodies the spirit and contributions of the local community.
Ortiz remarked on the shared values of respect, inclusivity, and community, emphasizing that events like this showcase diversity as a strength and help build a more compassionate society. The ceremony also featured attendance from Chu Yung-chang, deputy head of Taiwan’s representative office in San Francisco, and David Lin, the foundation’s chairman.
Chu praised San Jos© as the heart of Silicon Valley and home to many Taiwanese Americans, highlighting its sister-city relationship with Tainan, one of Taiwan’s oldest cities and regarded as the “cultural capital of Taiwan.” Meanwhile, Lin noted that “Taiwanese Day” reflects the long-standing friendship between Taiwan and San Jos© and acknowledges the significant contributions of the Taiwanese American community to the city’s culture and diversity.