Hi there!
I was just back to Japan one and a half day ago, and saw most of what I would like to say has been already said by other people, including Anthere and Andrew. I completely second them, just I would like to add my full of appreciation and applause for Hsiang-Tai Chien, the lead coordinator of translations at this conference, not only his service for setting website and other related materials, but his coordination of Wikimania Awards. There would be something we would improve, but considering our aggressive schedule and his private affairs which has been unfortunately simultaneous with the conferences, I have nothing but admiration.
I think coordinators and organizers who are not in Taiwan didn't bad works, and feel honor to help it out to some extent, but difficulties and hardship the local team should have conquered may be exceeded what we could imagine - specially each member of the local team hides such concerns behind their calmness, smiles and tranquility.
The wonderful tranquility and liveliness was found in the venue also. The conference was going in a building situated in a small pond (I was wondering if those ponds had been "the lake of sword", the venue name Chien-tan literally meant), which are surrounded by woods with some nice pavilions designed in the traditional Chinese way. And as said, both of two lodging sites are only one minute walk from the conference building. It was really convenient, and with the Open Space which was available over the midnight, coziness of the venue was 24 hours available. Behind the complex, there are hills on which Grand Hotel commands the sight in a magnificent style following the Chinese imperial palace, so the venue and lodging site as a whole looks like a corner of the Hidden Palace. It is amazing how the venue was discounted ... thank you for your all effort for getting local support, Taiwan Team!
I would like also to introduce Japanese blogsphere coverage.
Koyama Fumihiko, President of Goga, Inc. http://koyama.goga.co.jp/archives/20070804-1.html
イベントを開くということは規模に応じて社会的責任が生じるということを再認識しました。Wikimania 2007はその点でもよい出来だと感じます。
(trans.) I recoginized again that it gives us a responsibility for society to host an event, depending on its size. I feel Wikimania 2007 makes a good achievement in this point too.
Mitani Hiromi, Planner http://blog.pasonatech.co.jp/mitani/104/4414.html
非常に充実した3日間でした。ひとつのサービスのビジョンに共感して、世界中から来た人たちと交流できるというのは、不思議な一体感があり、自然とその場で和むことができました。
Those three days I've felt fulfillment. Communications with people from all the world in sympathy for a vision of service gives me a miraculous harmony which makes me feel at home.
Fukuzawa Shun, (User:Yukichi99), Wikia http://rblog-media.japan.cnet.com/mediaarts/2007/08/wikimania_2007_69c2.html
スタッフには本当に頭が下がりました。今は彼らへの感謝と尊敬の気持ちで一杯です。
I deeply appreciate the organizer team. Now I'm completely filled with gratitude and respect for them.
For all of achievement and cordial hospitality cannot be described well, so I would like instead to quote a line from Confucius: in my opinion, it is very fitting to Taiwan team and the venue they found: 知者動、仁者静。
Joyfullness and long lives be with you.
Aphaia wrote:
The wonderful tranquility and liveliness was found in the venue also. The conference was going in a building situated in a small pond (I was wondering if those ponds had been "the lake of sword", the venue name Chien-tan literally meant), which are surrounded by woods with some nice pavilions designed in the traditional Chinese way. And as said, both of two lodging sites are only one minute walk from the conference building. It was really convenient, and with the Open Space which was available over the midnight, coziness of the venue was 24 hours available. Behind the complex, there are hills on which Grand Hotel commands the sight in a magnificent style following the Chinese imperial palace, so the venue and lodging site as a whole looks like a corner of the Hidden Palace. It is amazing how the venue was discounted ... thank you for your all effort for getting local support, Taiwan Team!
When they designed the site it must certainly have been with the help of a [[Feng shui]] master.
Ec
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