TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said commemorating the 228 Massacre can promote social understanding and bring comfort to victims’ families during a memorial ceremony on Sunday.
CNA reported that the Keelung City Government held the event at Maritime Plaza. Participants observed a one-minute silence at the start of the ceremony and later threw white lilies into the sea to honor victims and express hopes for peace.
Keelung carries painful memories from the 228 Massacre, which remains an important part of Taiwan’s history, Hsieh said. He explained the ceremony was scheduled on March 8 because troops from China arrived at Keelung Harbor on that date 79 years ago and began a crackdown.
“People gathered not only to mourn the past but also to face history with responsibility and humility,” he said. Hsieh added that remembering the event can help bridge social divisions and encourage reconciliation and coexistence, per Yahoo News.
Keelung City Council Speaker Tung Tzu-wei (童子瑋) said the city should take greater responsibility for preserving historical memory. He proposed establishing a human rights memorial museum in Keelung to display archives, oral histories, and visual records, per Liberty Times.
“The museum could help students, residents, and visitors better understand Keelung’s role in Taiwan’s democratic history,” Tung said. He also suggested using walking tours, school courses, teacher training, and public lectures to teach younger generations about historical sites.
Keelung City Councilor Chang Chih-hao (張之豪), who heads the Keelung 228 Justice and Peace Promotion Association, said memory is necessary to resist forgetting. “If society forgets the tragedy, wrongdoing could be repeated,” he said, per UDN.
Another city councilor, Chang Hao-han (張顥瀚), spoke on behalf of victims’ families and called for continued efforts toward transitional justice. “Revealing the full truth about state violence can help bring comfort to victims and ensure the past is not denied or forgotten,” he said.
