Thursday, April 13, 2023 from 2:00PM – 3:40PM (ET)
In-Person (RSVP here) and Webcast
Event Description:
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to invite you to a seminar discussion titled “The 228 Incident and Transitional Justice.” This event is presented in partnership with the Memorial Foundation of 228. With the liberal international order facing unprecedented difficulties, the international community is paying increasingly close attention to the authoritarian coercive pressure directed against Taiwan. While military, diplomatic, and economic power will be key in addressing the complex issues connected to Taiwan’s security, Taiwan’s soft power capabilities will also play a critical role in determining the island’s future course.
The values of freedom, democracy, and human rights are crucial for enhancing Taiwan’s soft power. In order to most effectively demonstrate these values abroad, however, Taiwan must first reckon with the authoritarian legacies of its own past. Transitional justice research not only allows for the reexamination of historical events, but it also increases the awareness among people across the globe, so that they may learn from the lessons of history and work together to defend these important values.
This seminar will focus on the 228 Incident, a significant event in Taiwanese history that serves as an important entry-point to understanding transitional justice in Taiwan. The speakers will also discuss their new book, The Tragedy of 228: Historical Truth and Transitional Justice in Taiwan.
The event will be preceded by opening remarks from Memorial Foundation of 228 Chairman Hsueh Hua-yuan. Panelists will include: Shiu Wen-Tang (Memorial Foundation of 228), Chen Chia-hao (Memorial Foundation of 228), and Michael Fonte (Democratic Progressive Party Mission to the United States). The event will be moderated by GTI Program Manager Marshall Reid.
Doors will open at 1:30 PM, and the event will begin at 2:00 PM. If you plan on attending in-person, please RSVP by April 11, as seating is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. Please direct questions or concerns to Program Manager Marshall Reid at mreid@globaltaiwan.org.
COVID Procedures: Proof of vaccination will be required at check in. Attendees unable to provide documentation will be required to wear a mask. Masks are optional for vaccinated individuals who are able to provide proof of vaccination.
The Speakers:
Dr. Shiu Wen-Tang is the director of the Memorial Foundation of 228 in Taiwan. He is also an associate research fellow at the Institute of Modern History at Academia Sinica. He earned his PhD from the University of Paris-Diderot. Dr. Chen Chia-hao is an associate research fellow at the Memorial Foundation of 228, Taiwan. He is also an adjunct assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of Taiwan History at National Chengchi University. He earned his PhD from the Graduate Institute of Taiwan History at National Chengchi University. Michael J. Fonte is the director of the Democratic Progressive Party Mission in the United States, where he facilitates engagement between Taiwan’s DPP and policymakers in Washington. His connection to Taiwan goes back to 1967-70, when he served as a Catholic missionary working in central Taiwan. Before joining the DPP Mission as liaison in 2002, he was senior policy analyst at the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA). At FAPA, he was responsible for tracking US policy toward Taiwan, Taiwan security issues, and developments in Taiwanese political affairs, as well as producing opinion pieces, journal articles, and a member newsletter on these questions. He also lobbied the US Senate on Taiwan-related concerns. From 1993-1999, Fonte served as executive director of the Council for a Livable World Education Fund, and before that as foreign policy analyst and consultant for various international groups and clients. With a M.Th. in theology from the Maryknoll Seminary and an MA in Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan, Fonte’s resume includes time as both an educator and journalist. The Moderator: Marshall Reid is the program manager at GTI, as well as the host of GTI’s podcast, GTI Insights. He is also a Pacific Forum Young Leader. Previously, he worked as a program assistant with the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, where he helped to organize several international forums focused on East and South Asian affairs. He has also worked as an office assistant at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Prior to moving to Washington, DC, he served as an english instructor in Taipei, Taiwan. He received his MA in international affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and his BA in history and international relations from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
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