Hakka Affairs Commission, Taipei City Government

History
The "Hakka Affairs Commission, Taipei City Government" was established on June 17, 2002. It was originally located in the southeastern area of the 6th floor of the Taipei City Hall. In December 2006, the HAC transferred to the southern area of the building on the12th floor. In May 2008, it transferred to the Hakka Cultural Hall and created a joint office. Its offices currently consist of the offices of the chairperson, the chief secretary, the senior executive officer, the secretariat, the accounting, and the first and second sections. These serve as the administrative hub of Taipei City’s Hakka affairs, promoting various Hakka affairs and cultural heritage.

Policy Direction
Establish Taipei as a World Hakka Exchange Center with the goal of promoting the Hakka spirit and culture
Consolidate the will and aspiration of the Hakkas and propagate the Hakka spirit

• Integrate with other Hakka villages (settlement) and launch a cooperative program to jointly facilitate the economy of the Hakka village (settlement).
• Create Hakka tourism materials, cooperate with other related industry stakeholders to promote thematic tourism and the indigenous-area tourism industry while stimulating intellectual travel.
• Lead the citizens in participating in the Yimin Festival, Hakka Week, and Hakka Festivals, promote a deeper appreciation and understanding of Hakka culture, as well as handle Hakka cultural immersion activities and learn from other Hakka villages (settlements) through exchange visits.
• Cooperate with the local teaching activities of elementary and junior high schools, and bring together Hakka cultural and historical workers to enrich the essence of elementary and junior high school students' local education.

Promote exchanges among urban and rural areas and the world, and establish a Hakka corridor at home and abroad.

• Establish the Taipei World Hakka Exchange Center, establish a network of international overseas Chinese Hakka regional visitor groups, and strengthen cultural visits and exchanges.
• Increase urban diplomatic channels through overseas visitor groups.

Major Projects
Hakka Cultural and Historical Preservation and Promotion  

• Preserve Hakka art, including Hakka folk music, rural songs, bayin (eight tones), beliefs and culture, architectural art, ancient artifacts, opera, Hakka nursery rhymes, calligraphy, painting, among others.
• Strengthen the functions and features of the various halls and centers under the HAC: the Hakka Art and Culture Center is developed based on the direction of the Ethnic Group Information Center and the Hakka Language Education Center, as a base for ethnic culture, academic research and teaching and information exchange. The Hakka Cultural Hall provides various Hakka groups with a venue to hold various dynamic activities such as cultural promotion or seminars. It also supports and works together with other civic or ethnic associations, by providing a dialogue space to promote cultural understanding and affinity among the urban Hakka minority.
• Continue to gather Hakka related books and materials, enrich the collection of the HAC’s Hakka Library, and provide a complete usage mechanism and space for Hakka cultural enthusiasts and researchers.

Hakka Culture Teaching
History

• Launch the "Taipei Hakka Academy": handles all kinds of Hakka language learning, arts and cultural immersion courses, and provides opportunities for people from all walks of life to learn the language and culture of Hakka.
• Handle the broadcast channel for Hakka language broadcast programs, increasing Hakka language broadcast services, and enriching the multiculturalism of the city.
• Compile and publish the Hakka Culture Quarterly, which includes: Hakka language, cultural introduction, music learning materials, etc., with the aim of disseminating Hakka language and cultural information.
• Handle the creation, protection and promotion of the Hakka drama and music databases, to enrich the history of Hakka music and drama, as well as establish a multiple learning avenue.

Hakka Affairs Exchange and Cooperation

• Promote exchanges and cooperation between Taipei Hakka and international Hakka affairs, establish a network of Taipei Hakka and international Hakka communities, and enhance the international visibility of Taipei Hakka and the development of Taipei’s international relations.

Expand the Taipei Yimin Festival Series

• Expand the Taipei Yimin Festival series of activities, provide counseling and subsidize civic groups to participate in the project.

Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park
The "Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park" under the jurisdiction of the HAC is currently managed by the "Taipei City Hakka Culture Foundation". The former Hakka Cultural Foundation was established in 1997 by the Department of Civil Affairs, Taipei City Government to help the Hakka culture take root in Taipei soil. It was also established under the Hakka cultural development policy of Mr. CHEN, SHUI-BIAN, who was then the mayor of Taipei City. As such, he entrusted Professor Liang, Rong-Mao of the National Taiwan University to conduct a project study on the establishment of the "Taipei City Hakka Cultural Development Foundation". The said study concluded that there was a need to establish the foundation. In this regard, the Taipei City Government invited 15 representatives from the relevant institutions, including the academia, Hakka groups, business community, and Hakka arts and cultural circles to hold the first preparatory committee meeting on October 20, 1997. Mr. LI, YI-YANG, who was then the chief of the Department of Civil Affairs, served as the convener. In order to raise funds for the establishment of the HAC, the Department of Civil Affairs, Taipei City Government provided an additional budget of NT$30 million in 1998 and was approved on February 12 of the same year by the Taipei City Council. On February 23 of the same year, the HAC held its first board meeting in the Taipei City Government, and elected Mr. CHUNG, CHAO-CHENG as the first chairman of the board. The said board meeting also passed the donation charter and confirmed that the total fund established by the HAC was NT$ 30 million and was donated by the Taipei City Government. On April 15, 1998, the HAC established a registration review through the Department of Education, Taipei City Government and was formally registered.