https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4972058
Taiwan News: Taiwan Indigenous group talks civil defense via Presbyterian Church
Paiwan Presbyterian Church members discuss plans for defending communities during crisis
By Jono Thomson, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
PINGTUNG (Taiwan News) — Members of Taiwan’s Presbyterian Church gathered in southern Taiwan on Saturday (Aug. 12) to discuss improving the resilience of their communities based on one core idea: community-based civil defense.
The members gathered at the Tavadran Presbyterian Church in Rinari, a Paiwan village in Pingtung at the base of the mountains that separate Taiwan’s east and west coasts. About 200 elders, ministers, and members of the Paiwan Presbytery came to hear speakers discuss how church networks can be used to prepare congregations for emergency situations.
Ljavakaw Tjaljimaraw (謝易宏) is the leader and founder of civil defense group Academia Formosana (named in reference to the scholarly life he left behind at Academia Sinica to pursue the project full time), which was launched in July. Academia Formosana’s flagship project is the Noah’s Ark Plan, that Ljavakaw hopes to roll out via the wide network of Presbyterian congregations found throughout Taiwan.
“That means organizing the 1,200 Presbyterian congregations in Taiwan into an ark, so when the flood or war comes to Taiwan, we can help ourselves and protect each other,” Ljavakaw told Taiwan News.
“The mission of Academia Formosana is to promote community-based civil defense, using our strong motivation driven by our deep love for this island. We will not let anyone destroy it, and we will defend it,” he said.
