Secretariat, Taipei City Government

The Fête de la Musique—one of the most iconic summer cultural events in Paris—commenced on June 21, 2025. Taipei Mayor Wan-an Chiang attended the event at the invitation of the City of Paris, joining Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo; Deputy Mayors Jean-Luc Romero-Michel, Anouch Toranian, Carine Rolland, and Nicolas Normand; and Guest Curator of Nuit Blanche Taipei 2024, Kitty Hartl. Together, they gathered in the 15th arrondissement to witness the festival’s opening and experience the vibrant cultural atmosphere shaped by citizens’ spontaneous participation and passionate expression.

Deputy Mayor Romero-Michel, who had visited Taipei in October last year, welcomed Mayor Chiang. They engaged in in-depth discussions on various urban cultural topics, such as the music festival, Nuit Blanche, and the LGBTQ+ Pride Parade. Romero-Michel noted that this year’s festival featured the rare opening of the mayor’s office to the public—a gesture previously mirrored by Taipei during its Nuit Blanche two years ago, which was met with enthusiastic acclaim from the public. He also expressed gratitude to the Taipei City Government for nominating Sih-cheng Du, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association, to serve as a jury member for the City of Paris Prize for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. Romero-Michel further mentioned the upcoming Pride Parade in Paris and expressed hopes for deeper cooperation between Paris and Taipei. As a symbolic gesture of solidarity and friendship, a drag queen placed a rainbow heart sticker on Mayor Chiang to indicate support for equality.

Mayor Hidalgo also attended the event and warmly welcomed Mayor Chiang. Reflecting on his previous visit to Paris 12 years ago, which he made with his wife, Mayor Chiang noted the city’s remarkable transformation. He expressed particular admiration for the well-maintained streets and thoughtful urban planning , which he saw as a demonstration of the City of Paris administration’s exemplary governance. Hidalgo introduced her municipal team and extended a warm welcome to the Taipei delegation.

Next, Mayor Chiang and his delegation, guided by Deputy Mayor Romero-Michel and Kitty Hartl, proceeded to the festival’s main venue at the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden). Immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of live music and artistic expression, Mayor Chiang joined the crowd in singing, engaged directly with citizens, immersing himself in the authentic rhythm of Parisian culture.

Mayor Chiang concluded by thanking Deputy Mayor Romero-Michel and Kitty Hartl for their warm hospitality, which enabled the Taipei delegation to experience the freedom, diversity, and creativity that are hallmarks of Parisian urban culture on the eve of Fête de la Musique. He also invited the Paris municipal team to visit Taipei, with the hope of deepening cultural exchange and fostering friendship and collaboration between the two cities.