Taiwan Launches a New Visa Stamp

            The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto held a reception on June 10, 2009, to celebrate the launch of a newly-designed visa stamp featuring a Taiwan endemic bird, the Formosan Magpie, Urocissa caerulea.  The Formosan Magpie is also the National Bird of Taiwan.  The high quality bird illustration is from an image by Taiwanese photographer K. K. Kuo.  It is expected that the illustration on the visa stamp will be changed periodically, each time featuring one of Taiwan’s endemic bird species.

            Director General Wang Kuo-jan of TECO Toronto welcomed the guests.   Jo Ann MacKenzie, Executive Secretary of the International Taiwan Birding Association (Canada) gave a presentation on the Endemic Birds of Taiwan and how the National Bird had been chosen by national campaign in 2007.  Mrs. MacKenzie traveled from Vancouver to Toronto for the occasion.

            The first person to be issued a visa with the new design was Mr. Geoff Carpentier of Avocet Nature Services, Ajax, Ontario.  Mr. Carpentier is a leader of birdwatching tours around the world.  Jo Ann MacKenzie, who has visited Taiwan for birding many times, was also issued a new visa.

            Invited guests included Toronto-area birders, Taiwan government officials, members of the local Taiwanese community, media representatives, and others.