TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hualien welcomed Australian professor Emilian Kavalski from Poland's Jagiellonian University for a visit on Saturday (March 17).
Hualien City Office said on Saturday that National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) invited Kavalski to deliver a lecture on East European and Eurasian geopolitics, CNA reported. Since he has an interest in local government, the scholar also traveled around Hualien under NDHU Vice President Chu Chin-peng’s (朱景鵬) recommendation.
In an interview, Kavalski said he had visited many countries over the years and had a very good impression of Hualien City. “It’s close to the mountains and the sea and has fresh air. It is an unforgettable and refreshing city,” he said.
Kavalski said that he enjoys taking walks alone to admire the streets and explore the city at his own pace. He expressed a fondness for Hualien’s natural scenery and hospitality, which made him feel welcome.
Besides gaining insights into the operations of various departments within the Hualien City Office, Kavalshki said he also made new friends. Kavalski was touched by the warm reception and hopes to have the opportunity for further exchanges in the future.
Hualien Mayor Wei Chia-yen (魏嘉彥) expressed admiration and respect for Kavalski’s efforts and contributions to academia. Through their exchange, a deeper understanding of the independent autonomy of European local governments was gained, the mayor said.
In the future, Wei hopes to invite more schools from Europe to visit, facilitating more frequent exchanges in academia.
Kavalski is a professor at the Centre for International Studies and Development at Jagiellonian University in Poland. His research interests include international relations theory and Asian geopolitics.
