Foreign representative offices in Taiwan yesterday held film screenings to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
At Eslite Art House at Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, the Bureau Francais de Taipei screened the Ukrainian drama Klondike, which tells the story of a Ukrainian family living on the Russian border when the war erupted.
Earlier in the evening, the Italian Economic Trade and Cultural Promotion Office (IETCPO) in Taipei organized a screening of Kordon, a documentary by Italian director Alice Tommasini, in the auditorium of the Eslite bookstore in the city’s Xinyi District (信義).
Photo: CNA
The documentary tells the story of five Ukrainian volunteers at a suburban train station on the Hungarian border, where they aid refugees as they flee the war-torn country.
IETCPO Representative to Taiwan Davide Giglio said the film portrays the tragedies that refugees, especially women and children, must endure in crossing Ukrainian borders to reach other European countries.
The presentation of Kordon was part of efforts to screen the film in 50 countries on the invasion anniversary to document the war’s traumatic effects on women and children, Giglio said.
“The Italian stance, which coincides with the stance of the European Union and NATO, [is that] wars of aggression have no place in the 21st century,” Giglio said. “War really has no reason to be in international relations today.”
Giglio praised Taiwan for providing humanitarian assistance, even though it is relatively remote from Ukraine.
“This shows you that [Taiwanese] are very compassionate about the plight of the Ukrainians, and I think this is also a way maybe for Europeans to show appreciation locally,” Giglio said.
European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan Director Filip Grzegorzewski thanked Taiwan in his remarks at the screening.
“While some countries around the world have decided not to condemn Russia’s aggression, Taiwan has shown its commitments to democracy and the rules-based international order,” Grzegorzewski said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General for European Affairs Vincent Chin-hsiang Yao (姚金祥) said that the ministry gives its staunches support for the Ukrainian people in their fight against authoritarian expansion.
The government and people have been working closely with democratic European partners to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians, Yao said.
“Taiwan has helped build temporary shelters and provided medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees, and donated funds to cities on the front line,” Yao said.
Taiwanese and the government have donated about 700 tonnes of commodities and nearly US$50 million to help Ukrainian refugees, Yao said, adding that Taiwan has pledged another US$56 million for reconstruction.
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