Taiwan Today

Foreign nationals working in the fields of arts, culture and education are making significant contributions to Taiwan society.
 

An influential teacher has the potential to permanently alter the trajectory of their students’ lives. For Associate Professor of English Caroline Luo (羅正佳), that person was U.S. national Doris Brougham, founder and editor-in-chief of “Studio Classroom.” As an English major in university, Luo had to take courses taught entirely in her second language, and she knew she needed to enhance her proficiency. “Learning resources were scarce in the 1980s, but the English-teaching radio program ‘Studio Classroom’ was easily accessible,” Luo said. “I’m forever grateful for Brougham’s resolute commitment to education, which empowered me to take up the same life’s work.”
 

Brougham arrived in Taiwan in 1951 and settled down in the eastern county of Hualien to serve local indigenous groups. There she taught Bible, English and music classes in addition to establishing a church and children’s choir. Cognizant of media’s effectiveness at reaching people, Brougham and a group of other Christians founded Overseas Radio and Television (ORTV) Inc. in Taipei City in 1962, launching “Studio Classroom” the same year. The program was later supplemented with “Let’s Talk in English” and “Advanced” to meet a broader range of learner abilities and interests, with an accompanying magazine of the same name released monthly for each. Today, the three broadcasts are available via radio, television and the internet.
 

Many Americans came to Taiwan to volunteer and do business in the 1960s, so local people had to learn English to communicate with them. Meanwhile, students were starting to study abroad, and Taiwan needed to engage with the international community and make other countries aware of its development. “All these highlighted the importance of English,” Brougham said. Over time, ORTV has evolved its content delivery to keep pace with modern technology such as QR codes and social media. It places great emphasis on developing interactive learning materials while promoting English language education in rural areas with study camps and teacher training courses.
 

Throughout her career as an educator and musician, Brougham has received numerous awards, including the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon presented by the Presidential Office in 2002 for her contributions to the development of the country. Her latest honors include the National Women’s League Award for Outstanding Contribution to Society given by the namesake organization last year. The U.S. educator was additionally one of the first foreign nationals to receive permanent residency in Taiwan back in 2002. Twelve years later, her hometown of Seattle, Washington, declared April 2 as Doris Brougham Day for her lifelong dedication to Taiwan and enhancement of bilateral relations between Taiwan and Washington.
 

Currently at the age of 95, Brougham is still full of passion. “Home is where the heart is. My heart is here, so this is my home,” she said. “I’ll continue to help as much as I can to build a better Taiwan. If your work gives you enjoyment and purpose, why retire?”

Art for All

Another talented foreign national who has made Taiwan her home is graphic designer and oil painter Roma Mehta. She moved to the country from India in 1987 and now lives in Taipei with her husband and two children. “Most of my formative adult years have been in this country,” she said. “Taiwan and its people have been kind to us and I’m grateful for all the opportunities living here has presented.”
 

According to Mehta, her art is a meditative journey through which she explores a range of different styles, with her creations compiled into collections like “Colors of India,” “The Journey,” “Moments of Grace” and “Portraits.” Much of her inspiration comes from personal life experiences, particularly childhood memories.
 

In addition to making art, Mehta operates a subfranchise of U.S.-headquartered Sir Speedy along with a local business partner in the capital. The company offers corporate identity building, digital marketing, graphic design and printing services. The Indian artist is also chairperson of Taipei-based Red Room Culture, Education and Arts Association established in 2009. Conceived by her daughter Ayesha, the nonprofit organization is a community-driven creative platform aimed at fostering cross-cultural and intergenerational expression. It organizes a variety of arts, crafts, environmental and women’s activities.
 

“Red Room is a melting pot of culture and diversity, allowing Taiwan and foreign residents to interact with each other and share their gifts and skills,” Mehta said. “Its mission is to boost a cultural movement centered on transforming lives in an inclusive and nonjudgmental environment.” Among recent activities organized by Red Room were International Women’s Day celebrations held March 5, which included an art exhibition titled “The Power of Women” as well as panel discussions on gender equality and performing arts. Hosted in partnership with New Taipei City-based Museum of World Religions, the events were designed to highlight the cultural, economic, social and political achievements of women in Taiwan. “My contributions as a foreigner living in Taiwan stem from my cultural upbringing, perspectives and sensibilities. I want to share my experiences with different generations,” Mehta said. “Art is for everyone, and that’s why my goal is to make it accessible to more people.”

Vibrant Imagery

Similarly, illustrator Tomas Rizek from the Czech Republic is helping enliven the local arts and cultural scene with his creations, exhibitions and lectures. Over the course of his 35-year career, he has published around 70 books in 14 countries. Rizek’s first connection to Taiwan came in 2007, when his illustrated version of famous folk story “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” was translated into a bilingual Chinese and English edition by Taipei-based Grimm Press. Subsequently, Acme Cultural Enterprise Co. in the southern city of Tainan published six of his picture books. He began visiting Taiwan frequently during the process until his stays became longer than his return trips to Europe. “The opportunity to immerse myself in the beauty of nature and different ethnic communities really drew me to Taiwan,” Rizek said, adding that he had never imagined having such a chance before stepping foot in the country.
 

The illustrator set up Mi:Lu Publishing in the Czech Republic in 2014, following up with a branch in Taipei three years later. In addition to his own books, the company has released more than 10 Taiwan works spanning fiction, poetry, prose and short stories in Czech, including some by famous authors Liao Hong-ji (廖鴻基), Liu Ka-shiang (劉克襄) and Lo Ching (羅青). Correspondingly, about 20 of Rizek’s books have been published in Chinese. Among them is “The Song of Mountains, Forest and Sea,” a recent collection featuring legends from Taiwan’s Amis, Atayal and Rukai indigenous groups. “Atayal Warriors Stride Forward,” one of the stories in the compilation, was selected by the Ministry of Culture as excellent extracurricular reading for primary and secondary school students in 2018.
 

The self-taught artist focuses on illustrations for young children. “I enjoy creating picture books because I’m still a child at heart,” he said. “Adventures, animals, fairy tales and nature are my favorite subjects, and I want to convey positive messages like hope, love and self-confidence in my work.” Rizek has won several honors, such as the Hans Christian Andersen Award presented by International Board on Books for Young People, Prize of Acceptance by Japan-based Oshima Museum of Picture Books and Czech Republic-based Golden Ribbon Award. He also received a silver medal from the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his efforts to promote the country’s culture overseas.
 

When he is not working on one of his boldly colored creations, Rizek teaches illustration at Taipei-based Chinese Culture University and has published works by two of his students. “I know how hard it is to start an art career, so I’m willing to support young talent,” he said. “One advantage of having my own business is that I can publish whatever I like.” 
 

Like Rizek, Brougham and Mehta, creative foreign nationals living and working in Taiwan are contributing their expertise and unique perspectives to the country’s arts, cultural and educational development. “Taiwan is a beautiful, free and welcoming country,” Mehta said. “It’s important for us to feel that we are giving back because we’ve chosen Taiwan as our home and Taiwan allows us to live comfortably, experience different cultures and connect with people from all over the world.”

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw