Secretariat, Taipei City Government

The inaugural Twinkle Twinkle Little Star—International Night for the 2024 Taipei Firefly Festival was held in Daan Park on April 29, 2024. Mayor Wan-An Chiang invited more than 60 diplomatic representatives based in Taiwan to attend the event and observe the results of Taipei’s efforts to maintain the sustainable development of its urban ecology and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Daan Park. 

In his address, Mayor Chiang noted that this year marks the 30th and 10th anniversaries of the establishment of Daan Park and the Friends of Daan Forest Park Foundation, respectively; owing to the dynamism of then-mayor Ta-chou Huang, Daan Park was opened to the public on March 29, 1994, and is now a beloved recreational space enjoyed by the citizens of Taipei. Mayor Chiang also thanked the Friends of Daan Forest Park Foundation for adopting the park and assisting with park maintenance, basic environmental surveys, mosquito management, firefly habitat creation, and ecological education promotions. Mayor Chiang also lauded Daan Park as a milestone in Taipei City’s urban development, highlighting its role as an accessible and wide green space with rich ecosystems and how it symbolizes Taipei City’s transformation from a historically human-centric city into an ecologically sustainable city where all living creatures can coexist. The presence of fireflies indicates the health of an environment, and through a collaboration between the Taipei City Government and the Friends of Daan Forest Park Foundation, fireflies have been successfully reintroduced into the park to enrich its ecosystem. Daan Park is now an urban habitat for not only fireflies but also butterflies and birds. Mayor Chiang emphasized that the Taipei City Government will continue to work with various sectors to promote eco-friendly initiatives and increase the ecological diversity of Taipei City. He concluded his speech by welcoming the public to enjoy the firefly festival, which will end on May 5th, and by searching for “twinkling stars” within the city. 

Andrea Clare Bowman, the ambassador from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, noted that the firefly festival had opened one week after Earth Day. She also indicated that given the role of fireflies as a natural treasure and the issues of environmental destruction and extreme weather facing humanity, the firefly festival is a highly significant event that vindicates the Taipei City Government’s dedication to environmental protection. Ambassador Bowman further stated that Kingstown, the capital city of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, will formally become a sister city to Taipei City at the end of May and expressed her anticipation for the two cities to work together on addressing challenges pertaining to environmental protection and sustainable development. 

At the invitation of the Taipei City Government, Friends of Daan Forest Park Director and NTU Professor Emeritus Ping-Shih Yang and firefly specialist Professor Chia-Hsiung Wu shared their expertise on firefly ecology and explained the efforts made by the Taipei City Government in firefly conservation. Afterwards, Mayor Chiang and the representatives in attendance proceeded toward the ecological pond to admire the fireflies. The ability to view fireflies in the center of Taipei City was praised ceaselessly by the delegation.

The Taipei City Government launched a firefly conservation campaign in 2014 to raise awareness of environmental and conservation issues among Taipei citizens. In 2016, it launched an initiative to transform twelve parks into ecological habitats, partnering with NGOs dedicated to ecological and environmental issues. Firefly conservation in Taipei parks primarily involves the firefly species Aquatica ficta; adults appear only once a year and have a lifespan of approximately 10 days. Their lives are short but bright. From April to May each year, these fireflies can be seen not only in Daan Park but also in Rongxing Garden Park, Muzha Park, and the Hushan Firefly Restoration Area.