Keelung 400 events launch, Tong Tzu-wei calls to imagine city's future

A series of "Keelung 400" events, organized by private citizens, began on August 15 to commemorate 400 years since the Spanish arrived in Keelung. City Councilor and mayoral candidate Tong Tzu-wei attended the launch, emphasizing the importance of reviewing history and imagining the city's future for the next 400 years.

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We hope that while reviewing history, we invite all citizens to imagine the city's future and enter Keelung's next 400 years.

Tong stated that the city government did not give enough attention to this significant historical milestone. He invited private teams to organize the events, hoping to transform this moment into a cultural celebration. He also encouraged citizens to envision Keelung's future, building on its past, which includes its history with the Spanish, its development as a port city, and its unique character shaped by fishing, mining, and port activities.

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This year marks 400 years since the Spanish arrived in Keelung, but unfortunately, it did not receive attention from the city government. Therefore, I invited private teams to organize activities.

The "Keelung 400" events are a collaborative effort involving the Wu San-lien Taiwan Historical Materials Foundation, StoryStudio, and Youli Culture. They aim to explore Keelung's history from various perspectives through exhibitions, guided tours, and special publications. The initiative is rooted in the 1626 arrival of the Spanish on Heping Island, but it also acknowledges the presence and interactions of various peoples on the land before that event. The events will examine Keelung's development through three main themes: "Global Resonance," "Coexistence of Mountains and Seas," and "Ethnic Prosperity."

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Knowing a city's past is essential to clearly understanding where its future can go. Today, 400 years later, Keelung stands at a new turning point.