On behalf of Minister Tseng Jing-ling, Deputy Secretary General Wang Tsung-hai flew to Copenhagen to attend the 26th General Assembly of the World Veterans Federation last week. While in Copenhagen, he made time out of his busy schedule to visit ROC (Taiwan) overseas fellow veterans and their families. Meanwhile, he conveyed Minister Tseng’s regards to the members of the ROC Veterans Association in Denmark.
The 26th General Assembly was hosted by The Blue Berets Denmark. Over three hundred delegates from fifty-three countries gathered in Scandic Copenhagen Hotel’s conference room for this five-day event. At the opening session, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim, His Excellency Søren Gade, Minister of Defence, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) K. E. Rosgaard, Special Representative of Chief of Defence, were invited to grace the opening ceremony. The Blue Berets Denmark also arranged Ms. Lene Siel, a popular Danish Singer, the Corps of Drums of the Royal Life Guards, and The Veterans’ Chorus to entertain all participants.
In his welcoming speech, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim, a tall and handsome young man, said, “Yours is a unique grouping. You bring together former belligerents, the enemies of yesterday, to reconcile and to become friends today, and to work for a peaceful tomorrow.” “The best way to remember our dead, and indeed all those who have been lost in war, is to rededicate ourselves to the cause of peace and to the daily work so eloquently set out in the Charter of the United Nations---the work of saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” he added. At the end of his speech, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim declared the 26th General Assembly of the World Veterans Federation open.
On the second day of the meeting, His Excellency Jack de Vries, Netherlands State Secretary for Defence, came also to give an inspiring speech to all participants. “It is important that you share your stories. Important for yourselves, your families, your friends, and your countries. And important for the next generation. Because we live in a world that tends all too easily to forget the lessons of history,” he remarked. In his speech, he also reported how the Netherlands government appreciate, honor, and serve their war veterans.
To pay homage to Denmark’s fallen soldiers, a wreath laying ceremony took place on the second day’s morning. Special Representative of Chief of Defence Lt. Gen. (Ret.) K. E. Rosgaard was the presiding officer at the ceremony. He first inspected the Guard of Honor and Military Band. Then he laid a wreath before the Statue of a fallen soldier. Col. (Ret.) Abdul Hamid Ibrahim, President of WVF, and Col. (Ret.) Bjarne Hesselberg, President of the Blue Berets Denmark, followed suit. All delegates attended the ceremony along with the rest of WVF leadership and members of the Blue Berets Denmark.
The catchphrase of the 26th General Assembly of the WVF was reconciliation and peace, which coincides with Republic of China’s national policy. Veterans Affairs Commission joined the WVF under the name of “Republic of China on Taiwan” in 1990. It was the first time for Deputy Secretary General Wang to attend an International NGO meeting. However, it was VAC’s seventh time to attend WVF’s General Assembly. Since it was admitted to the WVF, VAC has fulfilled its obligation as a member of WVF and also attended every General Assembly.
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Deputy Secretary-General Wang Tsung-hai attends the 26th General Assembly of the World Veterans Federation
