By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The Kaohsiung City Government will shift this year’s central 228 commemoration ceremony to the plaza in front of the Kaohsiung Museum of History, as the city marks the 79th anniversary of the 1947 February 28 Incident with a series of exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, and lectures across multiple cultural venues.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau said the move highlights Kaohsiung’s central role in the early stages of the incident, following the breakdown of negotiations on March 6, 1947. Three sites in Kaohsiung — the former Kaohsiung Fortress Command, the former Kaohsiung City Government building (now the Kaohsiung Museum of History), and the former Kaohsiung Railway Station — have been officially designated as “sites of injustice” linked to the events of 228.
Culture Bureau Director Wang Wen-tsui (王文翠) said the incident remains a defining human rights milestone in Taiwan’s modern history, with Kaohsiung also later witnessing the 1979 Formosa Incident. Through diverse commemorative activities, the city aims to promote intergenerational dialogue and reflection on democratic values and freedoms.
The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts will stage a special exhibition titled “About That March, Some Things I Remember,” presenting works by artists including Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波) alongside contemporary creations to encourage new perspectives on the historical trauma. On February 27 at 2 p.m., a specially adapted theatrical performance will take place within the exhibition space.
A 228 memorial lawn concert, titled “Formosa in My Heart,” will be held at 7 p.m. on February 28 on the museum’s grass slope. The program will include 16 pieces centered on themes of love, peace, and Taiwan.
Additional commemorative programming includes special film screenings at the Kaohsiung Film Archive from February 27 to March 1, featuring titles such as “Super Citizen Ko” and other works exploring the 228 Incident, with select post-screening discussions. Meanwhile, the Kaohsiung Main Public Library and its branches will host a themed book exhibition, “Our 1947,” from February 24 to March 29.
The Kaohsiung Museum of History will also provide guided tours of its permanent exhibition “228 • 0306” at 2 p.m. on February 27 and 28. A flower-laying memorial ceremony is scheduled for March 6 at 1:30 p.m., followed by a human rights lecture by National Chengchi University professor Hsueh Hua-yuan (薛化元) titled “From Silence to Voice: The Beginning of Redress.”
