Taiwan just launched a contest where they want citizens to design their next passport cover, and the options are pretty amazing!
With the condition that the proposed design is able to “convey the identity of Taiwanese,” the contest was able to gather hundreds of submissions, from which a total of 127 finalists were chosen and displayed in an online gallery for voting.
While most of the covers feature a number of Taiwan’s symbols, such as an outline of its main island, orchids, a bear, an emperor butterfly, a pheasant, and a sika deer, there are some that aim to highlight one of the country’s greatest gifts to tourists all over the world: its delicious food and refreshing bubble tea.
Source: taiwanpassport.tw
Just look at that adorable bird balancing that tiny cup of boba on its head!
The bubble tea-inspired design wasn’t made just for laughs, though; Taiwanese lawmakers actually suggested back in April, separately from the contest, that the new Taiwan passport cover should have a bubble tea motif.
Somehow, it makes sense; after all, boba continues to be the country’s greatest beverage export (which we will forever be grateful for).
One of the three proposals for a new Taiwan passport cover features bubble tea pic.twitter.com/F0rwqTZzOk
— Eric Hu (@_EricHu) April 21, 2020
Currently, two designs are neck-and-neck as the crowd favorite: a green-and-gold one and one with a simple white butterfly in the shape of Taiwan’s island. We still think the bubble tea one is pretty cute though.
Source: taiwanpassport.tw
The design contest will end in mid-September, although the winning cover won’t necessarily replace the official document. According to QZ.com, “The contest is, in large part, a strategy to kindle public dialog about how best to represent Taiwanese national identity vis-a-vis China” amid the ongoing issue regarding Taiwan’s independence.
(ALSO READ: WATCH: Taiwan Shares How They Successfully Controlled the Spread of Coronavirus in this Video)
What are your thoughts on this? Share them in the comments!
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