The Israel-Palestine conflict has garnered global attention, prompting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to engage in humanitarian rescue efforts amidst the conflagration. At the 2023 Yushan Forum, held on the afternoon of the 12th, the seventh session focused on " Creating Mutual Social Prosperity with Civil Society." During this session, Mr. Ichiro Kabasawa, CEO of the Nippon Foundation, shared the NGO's experiences in providing assistance during the Russia-Ukraine war. He noted that some NGOs collaborating with the Nippon Foundation have also initiated the "Purple Vest" project in Israel, preparing to aid individuals with disabilities affected by the conflict in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
On the afternoon of the 12th, the 2023 Yushan Forum entered its seventh session, chaired by Cheryl Lai, Chairperson of Radio Taiwan International. The session featured discussions from various speakers, including Linus, Lee, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Alliance in International Development; Tsung-Huang Hsiao, Director, National Palace Museum, R.O.C. (Taiwan); ZhangXiao-Xiong Zhang, Professor of Dance Department, National Taipei University of the Arts; Huang Hsiu-Yi, Director of “Diamond Marine World ; Ichiro Kabasawa, CEO of the Nippon Foundation; and Yang Hao, Executive Director of the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation. They shared insights on Taiwan's exchanges with Asia across different domains.
Mr. Kabasawa highlighted that following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Nippon Foundation, in collaboration with NGOs from Israel and other countries, entered Ukraine to assist individuals with disabilities. To date, they have successfully rescued 5,000 disabled individuals from the conflict zone.
Regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, Mr. Kabasawa stated that Israeli partners informed him of the widespread impact on their staff members' families and friends, plunging Israel into a crisis. He mentioned that Israeli NGOs have also initiated the "Purple Vest" initiative, redirecting projects conducted in Ukraine to Israel to rescue individuals with disabilities. He explained, "Purple represents individuals with disabilities. They were assisting disabled individuals in Ukraine and now they are implementing the same project in Israel. They are attempting to rescue disabled and elderly individuals in conflict zones in Israel and Palestine."
The seventh session of the Yushan Forum invited experts from various fields to share experiences in exchanging with Southeast Asian countries. Mr. Linus Lee, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Overseas Aid and Development Alliance, highlighted Taiwan's NGOs dedicated to diverse issues , including gender, healthcare, education, and social welfare. He mentioned that the Taiwan Alliance in International Development launched an NGO Fellowship Program this year, inviting NGO leaders from partner countries in the New Southbound Policy to Taiwan for a month-long exchange. He is confident in how Taiwan is a suitable place for NGO collaboration and believes that partnering with Asian allies could elevate greater impact.
Mr. Hsiao Tsung-huang, Director of the National Palace Museum, also mentioned that the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum hosts the Asian Arts Festival in September and October each year, featuring themed exhibitions from various Asian countries such as Thailand and Singapore, showcasing different facets of Asia through cultural activities.
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