The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is making its debut at the Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) this year, marking its first participation since its inception in 2020. The Commission's booth, titled “Open Pages: A Barrier-Free Human Rights Reading Festival,” will spotlight themes such as freedom of speech, gender equality, and disability rights, with the goal of enriching reading for a wide-ranging audience. On the opening day (Feb 20th), NHRC Chairperson Chen Chu, Vice Chairperson Tsai Chung-yi, Commissioner Wang Jung-chang, and Control Yuan Member Fan Sun-lu gathered to officially inaugurate the NHRC exhibition area.
During the inauguration, Chairperson Chen emphasized the NHRC’s commitment to creating exhibition guides and tactile floor plans tailored for visually impaired visitors, facilitating their navigation through the exhibition. She expressed her aspiration that this initiative would inspire society to cultivate more inclusive exhibition environments, ensuring that everyone has equal access to information.
The exhibition area has been meticulously designed with accessibility as a priority, allowing wheelchair users to move around with ease. This thoughtful approach encompasses the arrangement of space, the height of tables, and the creation of specially tailored exhibition stands. Featured materials include independent opinion reports and publications from the NHRC since its establishment. Additionally, some resources are available in sign language, braille, and other formats that are easy to read. Brochures are also offered in Filipino, Indonesian, and Vietnamese to cater to the needs of new immigrant communities.
At the NHRC booth, attendees will discover a “Human Rights Mobile Library,” which contains a diverse array of local and international publications on human rights issues, such as the situation in Taiwan, the fundamental principles of human rights, international treaties, and the monitoring of human rights throughout Asia. These materials are available for reading on-site, inviting visitors to explore the development of human rights.
The “Open Pages: A Barrier-Free Human Rights Reading Festival” will be held from Tuesday, Feb 20th to Sunday, Feb 25th, 2024, at the NHRC booth (C319) in Hall 1 of the Taipei World Trade Center. These events will include three human rights salons, and all are invited to participate.
More details about the “Open Pages: A Barrier-Free Human Rights Reading Festival” can be found on the NHRC’s FB event page.
Date: Feb. 20th (Tue) – Feb. 25th (Sun), 2024
Location: NHRC Booth C319, Hall 1, Taipei World Trade Center
[Human Rights Salons]
#Freedom of Speech
Open Pages 1: The Development of Freedom of Speech in Taiwan Under Chinese Hegemony
Speaker: Lee Ming-che (Human Rights Activist)
Host: Ko Yun-ching (Director of Taiwan Innocence Project)
Time: Feb. 24th (Sat) 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
#Gender Equality
Open Pages 2: "Together, Stronger in the rain"— LGBTQ Families
Speaker: Li Yi-chi (Author)
Host: Allen Tsai Yu-hsun (Director of the Documentary "Together, Stronger in the rain")
Time: Feb. 25th (Sun) 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
#Disability Rights
Open Pages 3: Creating an Inclusive Society for People with Disabilities
Speaker: Chairman Leo (椅人Leo) (YouTuber)
Host: Roy Liu (Community Director of the Plain Law Movement)
Time: Feb. 25th (Sun) 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.