GACC Secretary-general Lee Hou-ching (second left), Presidential Office Spokesperson Lin Yu-chan (center) and Director-general of MOFA’s Department of International Services Catherine Y. M. Hsu announce the results of the “Spend a Night at Taiwan’s Presidential Office Building” contest Aug. 14 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
 

Fifteen groups and individuals from 12 countries have won the opportunity to spend a night at Taiwan’s Presidential Office building, according to the General Association of Chinese Culture Aug. 14.

The Presidential Office spokesperson Lin Yu-chan said that the event was first launched in 2019 and was then suspended due to the pandemic. Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in April this year, the PO and GACC resumed the event to enhance Taiwan’s visibility on the global stage.

The 2023 drive attracted nearly100 international submissions and winners, both individuals and groups, can stay overnight between September and December this year. They will also visit various cities and counties on the island to experience Taiwan’s tourist attractions, Lin said.

Lee Hou-ching, secretary-general of GACC, said that within two months close to 100 candidates from five continents and 28 countries entered the event. The competition was strong and after evaluation, 15 individuals and groups stood out.

Among the winners, Greg and Mitch are Canadians who cohost a scientific education channel entitled AsapSCIENCE; Drew Goldberg’s Facebook page boasts over five million fans; and Chef Ton, whose restaurant topped Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023, is a culinary expert from Thailand. The spread of nationalities among this year’s winners exceeds that of the 2019, with nationals from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Vietnam being on the list for the first time. (POC-E)