TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Supporters of the Bluebird Movement protest group posted an advertisement in Times Square in New York on Tuesday (June 4) to garner international support for Taiwan's democracy.
Last week, the Keep Taiwan Free organization, initiated by the Taiwanese American Council of Greater New York (TACGNY), raised NT$2.6 million (US$80,000) to display a Times Square billboard ad. On June 4, the group broadcasted a 30-second video advertisement every five minutes for 24 hours.
The group launched the donation campaign on May 30 to “ensure that the message of freedom, hope, and resilience is heard globally.” Organizers said the advertisement would “showcase the Taiwanese people's commitment to defending democracy and highlight how the world would benefit from a progressive democracy in East Asia.”
Taiwanese digital creator Katie Hsieh Tuesday announced the successful launch of the ad in Times Square. She described the event as the “first stop in the world” for the Bluebird Movement and expressed her hope that others will carry the “torch of democracy to different countries in the world.”
According to Hsieh, more than 100 supporters came to Times Square to “show our love and support for Taiwan. She closed by saying, ”We did it! Thank you to all the Bluebird Mothers globally and all the hardworking team members."
In a video of the ad posted on Hsieh's Facebook, the word “Taiwan” appears and a bluebird soars over it. This is followed by iconic symbols of Taiwan such as temples, the Formosan black bear, semiconductors, bubble tea, pineapples, and mountains.
The sign reads “A beacon of democracy” trailed by the voting stamp in Taiwan's election. The ad then displays the words “A fortress of equality” before circles with pixelated rainbows and the word “Taiwan” flashes over them.
Next, the ad says, “Where freedom thrives and innovation blooms,” chased by an animation of Taipei 101 launching fireworks.
Lastly, a flock of bluebirds flies to unveil, “Stand strong with Taiwan.”
According to the organizers, the Bluebird Movement is a protest movement that started outside the Legislative Yuan in response to “an unconstitutional bill that expands the parliament's authority beyond legislative powers with no checks or balances.”
