Date 23 January | Frequency annual | |
Next time 23 January 2018 (2018-01-23) | ||
World Freedom Day (Chinese: 世界自由日; pinyin: Shìjièzìyóurì) is a memorial day celebrated on 23 January in Taiwan and South Korea. The event marks the return of some 22,000 ex-communist war prisoners of the Korean War (1950–1953) to Taiwan, of whom 14,000 Chinese soldiers arrived at Keelung harbor on 23 January 1954, and were given the title "Anti-Communist Martyrs". The Republic of China (ROC) government subsequently declared 23 January as World Freedom Day to honor these soldiers, and created the "Anti-Communist League" (which later became the World League for Freedom and Democracy) to fight communist expansion worldwide. The league is led by President Yao Eng-Chi, a former Kuomintang-MP and Secretary-General Ger Yeong-Kuang, a Professor for political science at National Taiwan University. Every year World Freedom Day Celebrations are held in Taiwan, and the event is attended by both locals and foreign delegates from all over the world. Usually, the president of the ROC delivers a congratulatory message, and cultural performances take place.