To raise Taiwan's international visibility and advocate for its participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), the Metro Vancouver Overseas Taiwanese Society (MVOTS, 大溫哥華臺灣僑界聯誼會), in collaboration with Taiwanese communities in Vancouver and Victoria, organized an event on May 3.
Key attendees included MVOTS Co-Chairs Ms. Ming-Chu Hsieh and Ms. Chien-Li Chang, along with several board members. They were joined by Director Ms. Belinda Chen and Secretary Ms. Mei-Ling Lin of the Overseas Community Affairs Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver. Several local Taiwanese organizations also attended in support, including the Orchid Club (蘭馨社), the Changhua Association (彰化同鄉會), the Ming Chuan University Alumni Association in Western Canada (銘傳大學加西校友會), and the Victoria Taiwanese Association (維多利亞臺灣同鄉會).
The event commenced with a striking display in front of the Legislative Assembly, featuring large letters spelling out "Taiwan + WHO" to capture public attention. Participants chanted slogans such as "Taiwan Can Help," "Taiwan is Helping," and "Taiwan No. 1" to draw awareness and support for Taiwan's inclusion in the WHA.
After the gathering, attendees formed three groups to conduct street outreach in downtown Victoria, engaging with pedestrians, introducing Taiwan, and explaining its contributions to global public health through concrete actions.
After the event, participating community leaders from both cities gathered for a luncheon at Don Mee Restaurant in Victoria’s Chinatown to exchange views on overseas community affairs and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
