The Executive Yuan Digital Archive opened to the public today (May 11) on a trial basis.
The Executive Yuan set up the website to revitalize its precious audiovisual historical materials. Citizens are welcome to provide suggestions and error corrections to help enrich the website and make it more comprehensive.
Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun pointed out that the digital archive primarily contains ROC premiers' audiovisual records—including their schedules, event activities and press conferences—which are major assets for the public. The materials go back to the 1970s and stand witness to important historical moments of successive premiers, while recording the footsteps of Taiwan's progress.
Opening the archive for public browsing and applications puts into practice the government's policies of information transparency and open data, Sun added. In the future, the archive will provide viewings, searches and value-added applications to the public free of charge in order to maximize the effects of government open data.
The Executive Yuan Digital Archive is set up in accordance with the government open data guidelines for the Executive Yuan and its subordinate agencies, which was promulgated February 23, 2013. Audiovisual and graphic materials about government administration and social and economic development have been digitized for preservation, with the Internet employed as the medium of promotion to turn the Executive Yuan Digital Archive into an open asset of all citizens.
The Executive Yuan Digital Archive includes photographs, films, audio files and policy graphics, placed under such headings as "Latest News," "Recent Videos," "Classics," "Panorama," "Memory Lane," "Subject Areas" and "Policy Footprints."
Although preliminary setup of the website is complete, only a small quantity of audiovisual materials can be provided in this initial stage because they must be checked piece by piece in accordance with the principles of government open data, Sun noted. However, more materials will be successively added during the trial operation period.
Materials presently on the website include Premier Sun Yun-suan watching the 1979 Williams Jones Cup international basketball tournament to boost the morale of the Chinese Taipei women's team, Premier Yu Shyi-kun standing witness to the completion of the boring of the eastbound lane of the Hsuehshan Tunnel on National Freeway No. 5 in 2004, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung attending the inauguration of the administration building of the Central Taiwan Science Park Administration in 2008, and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan taking a trial ride on the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System's Wenhu Line (Line 1) upon its completion in 2009.
Via the digitization of these precious audiovisual materials, citizens can relive the nation's major historical moments and their shared experiences.