The international conference on “Cultural Heritage: Modernity in Dialogue with Tradition” organized by the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature (GITL) in collaboration with the LSE Taiwan Research Programme took place from July 10 – Friday July 12, 2013, in the Old Building (Room AGWR) at LSE. In light of celebrating the 10th Anniversary of UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural heritage, this conference invited 16 scholars and graduate students from Taiwan, United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and China to discuss the history, reproductions in literature and various kinds of artistic representations, and future development of Taiwan cultural heritage in the hope to ponder these issues in the perspective of foreign viewpoints and further draw on inspiration.

Three graduate students from the GITL, Ting-Yun Shih, Tzu-Yao Cheng, and Yick Sau Wilson Lau, presented their research findings in the conference. Research topics are versatile, including religious art, folklore, identity issues, ethnic cultures, and local cultural memories. Shu-Ling Horng, director of the GITL, and Fang-Long Shih, Director of the LSE Taiwan Research Programme, were also invited to give talks. Two films, The Hermitage Dwellers and Din Tao: Leader of the Parade, were screened to provide the context for the ensuing roundtable discussion on cultural heritage issues in modern society implicated in the films and comparisons of conservation and promotion of cultural heritage between Taiwan and other countries, hoping to stimulate academic innovation, increase visibility of Taiwan literature in the international world, and promote scholarly exchanges.