Tulips to medical workers in Taiwan

In the absence of the usual Dutch celebration of King’s Day amid this serious pandemic, the Netherlands Office Taipei chose to express gratitude to the front-line medical staffs in Taiwan with 3,999 tulips from the Netherlands.

Tulip donation bouquet
Beeld: ©Netherlands Office Taipei

The Dutch horticultural farmers are severely hit as a result of COVID-19. Instead of usual celebration of King’s Day, the Netherlands Office Taipei purchased fresh tulips from the farmers to support the cut flower sector in the Netherlands, and to express the gratitude to the front-line medical staffs in Taiwan. The office visited four cities with the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients, delivered orange tulips together with Dutch stroopwafels to 35 destinations, including the Epidemic Command Center, hospitals designated to care for critical patients or under the local city governments, and Taoyuan International Airport. By this action, the Netherlands Office Taipei had opportunity to appreciate the front-liners and caretakers for their determined contribution, generous sharing, and vigilant gatekeeping. It is also expected that the friendship between the Netherlands and its  partners is to be deepened.  

The stroopwafels and tulips were also shown on the table of the daily press conference of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), where over 20,000 audience were watching via the live stream. As a result, it became an sensation all over the island and was sold out in no time.