The Netherlands’ representative to Taiwan will soon retire from civil service, but rather than return home, he will become a tourism ambassador for Taiwan and continue his research on historical traces left by his Dutch ancestors in Taiwan.
“My wife [Ingrid Goedhart] and I look forward to our new life in Taiwan,” Dutch Representative to Taiwan Menno Goedhart said at a ceremony during which Ministry of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) awarded him the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon in recognition of his contributions to strengthening ties between the Netherlands and Taiwan.
About 30 people from the Rukai Tribe, whom Goedhart referred to as his “family and friends,” took a six hour bus ride from Wutai (霧台) Township, Pingtung County, to congratulate him — the first time Aborigines have attended a decoration ceremony for a foreign representative.
Goedhart said he was touched by their trip “just to be with me,” adding he regretted that “a number of my family members in Wutai township could not be here, because the bridge they have to cross has collapsed … I think for the fourth time this year.”
He used the occasion to express his concerns over Aborigines whose houses were destroyed by Typhoon Morakot in August.
“[The typhoon] affected so much the lives of the mountain people. Quite a lot of them still suffer, living still in evacuation camps. They might soon leave those camps and move into to new built villages. However, their suffering does not end with having new houses in new villages,” he said. “So much more is needed to make all these new houses real homes and their culture should become part of it. They need jobs … and they need continuing help.”
Elen, a princess of the Rukai Tribe, said Goedhart had provided a lot of help to her people in the past two years.
Goedhart will become Taiwan’s tourism ambassador and set up a research center on 17th-century heritage.
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