This year, we are celebrating the 10th NanYing International Folklore Festival. The history of the festival traces back to twenty years ago since it was first held in1996. The long lasting history of the festival not only enables Tainan city to further connect with the world but also makes itself the only and the oldest festival featuring for its folklore performance in Taiwan.

        After the fierce competition in September, 36 guides with 9 foreign language proficiency stranded  out from hundreds of applicants. On October 5th, they will gradually start to lead the international performing groups from all over the world.  In order to provide them with a better understanding of the festival and get on track as soon as possible, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City Government has designed a series of training programs for them on October 4th and 5th.  The program includes the historical  introduction of the festival for the past 2 decades, and also includes Tainan cultural introduction, technical communication skills and emergency training courses that can provide the guides with more professional skills.

        On October 4th, the guides from different parts of Taiwan arrived in Tainan with expectant motion and excitement. Although it was their first time to meet each other, they shared the same sense of intimacy and curiosity making the atmosphere warm and active. Before the courses started, the guides made their self-introductions one by one and shared their expectation and motivation of participating in this festival.  They participate in the festival for multiple reasons. For instance, they were strongly persuaded by their seniors which were the former guides from the festival. Furthermore, they regarded it as a very good opportunity for them to enhance their language proficiency. One of the guides, Miss Liu, a local resident of XinYing District who is going to lead the Japanese group Ondekoza, also shared her personal experience. She demonstrated a T-shirt with signatures of different international groups on it that she received while she was watching the closing ceremony of the Folklore international festival in the year of 2000. She also took out a hat that one of the performing groups gave her as a gift that year. It was a very impressive memory for her that further inspired her to apply for this foreign language guide sixteen years later.

        According to The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City Government , NanYing International folklore is an art festival that is held by every citizen in Tainan city. The festival is not only about the performance but also includes the cultural exchange with friendship organizations, mob flash and tour performance. The responsibilities of these foreign language guides are not simply about leading the group or translating but also being the representatives of Taiwan. After the solid training program for 2 days, we believe that 36 foreign language guides with dynamic personalities and professional abilities will perfectly complete their mission in the festival.