The fifth UCLG ASPAC Congress will be held in Taipei from 3 to 6 September this year. While the Congress itself will not be an open event, the public are welcome to attend a special exhibition, Taipei City–Design and Diplomacy, to be held in the FE Eco Ark Pavilion at the Taipei Expo Park. This side event will be an occasion for people to share in the joy and prestige of holding a major international event in Taipei.

The special exhibition will run from 3 to 8 September, continuing for two days after the close of the UCLG ASPAC Congress. Taipei residents are welcome to visit the exhibition during the Moon Festival Holiday. It is open from 9 to 5 every day, and visitors will see special exhibits prepared by the Departments of Cultural Affairs, Transportation, Economic Development, Environmental Protection, and Sports. The event will feature exhibits on the 2016 World Design Capital and Taipei’s city diplomacy, as well as municipal policies on environmental protection and investment, Velo-city Global 2016 and the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade. Visitors will also find an international booth for the UCLG ASPAC Secretariat.

The highlight of the exhibition is the 16 core projects for the 2016 World Design Capital: Boosting International Exchange, Investing in Basic Design Infrastructure, Encouraging Design Innovation, Shaping Distinctive Local Character, Neighbourhood Parks: Residents’ Best Design Playgrounds, Starting Design Education Young, Design for a Living-friendly Urban Environment, Developing Children’s Creativity, Large-scale Urban Planning Projects, A People-oriented Walking City, Unique Locally Rooted Urban Regeneration Models, Streetscape Transformation, Creating a Career Development Platform for Young Designers, Smart Urban Service, From Cradle to Cradle: Total Recycling Project and Showcasing Taipei’s Design Development Power. Other exhibits include a bound copy of the Taipei bid for the 2016 World Design Capital, which features a unique twist. The book is composed of layers of auspicious “dragon scales” to surprise and delight the reader. The attention to detail and precision of the book’s “dragon-scale binding” design is testament to Taipei City’s exquisite and powerful design momentum.