Foreign nationals can apply to stay overnight free of charge in Taiwan’s century-old Presidential Office Building as part of the government’s efforts to promote Taiwan internationally.
The “Spend a Night at Taiwan’s Presidential Office Building” project, first launched in 2019, had been suspended from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the office said yesterday, adding that as the pandemic has eased, the program is being relaunched and would again allow the world to see Taiwan.
Foreigners above the age of 20 can apply to stay in the suite inside the Lixing Building, a two-story structure adjacent to the office of the president within the Presidential Office compound, it said.
Photo: screen grab from the Presidential Office Web site
The building, which was constructed in 1919 during the Japanese colonial period and first served as the Japanese governor-general of Taiwan’s office, became the presidential office in 1950.
The program, which is to run from September to December, is expected to provide a maximum of 20 people with the chance to spend one night in the building, with no more than two guests per evening.
Those who are chosen would stay for one night in the 46m2 suite and be provided with breakfast the following morning.
The guests are required to make a video of their stay on themes including Taiwan’s railways, cuisine and architecture, and Hakka culture and post it on social media.
Applications can be made through the English-language Web site www.nightattaiwan.tw/en/index.php.
Applicants must upload a video clip no longer than 90 seconds to explain why they want to stay in the suite and why they are the best candidates, along with their plans to promote Taiwan.
The application deadline is June 30 and a panel of judges would review the applicants before announcing the winners in August.
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