(Written by Reporter Lin, Ching-Chieh from Military News Agency, Taichung, 17th)
Today, “The Heart for Eternal Peace” concert organized by Ministry of National Defense was held at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung City. The concert attracted 3,000 to 4,000 citizens in Central Taiwan to participate in the event, making it an unprecedented experience.
In the afternoon, sudden heavy downpours in Taichung area did not douse citizens’ patriotism, nor could it stop them from participating in the Concert for 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the War of Resistance against Japan &Retrocession of Taiwan; thousands of citizens gathered at National Chung Hsing University and took concrete actions to commemorate the hard time fighting against the foreign aggression and protecting national dignity by actively participating in the concert. They deeply experienced the true meaning of “merciless war and invaluable peace” and form a consensus on national defense war.
“The Heart for Eternal Peace” concert was held in the afternoon and evening separately. The concert was hosted Deputy Minister of Ministry of National Defense General Chen, Yong-Kang and General Liu, Chen-Wu respectively. The concert comprised four themes: “First Sino-Japanese War, Cession of Taiwan, Penghu”, “War of Resistance against Japan”, “Alliance, Retrocession of Taiwan”, and “Sustainable and Peaceful Future”. Based on a play-within-a-play model, the concert combined modern dance and Irish dance. Indigenous people soloed “Dowriq Utux Rudan” to gradually pave the way for an epic-like ethnic war and guide the audience to review Chinese people’s hardships and struggles for democracy during the war of resistance against Japan.
The concert was designed in a form of Broadway musical and arranged a well-known vocalist and choir from the military school to sing indigenous and military songs as well as ballads, which fully presented the outstanding contribution from soldiers and civilians to the war of resistance against Japan. The concert allowed citizens to uphold the spirit of war of resistance when commemorating the history and also reminded people to remember the lesson and cherish democracy.
Before the end of the concert, the choir and all participating staff led the audience to sing the Military Song and National Flag Anthem together in an impassioned tone and express the love for the country, people, and land, marking a perfect ending.