The ATAYAL Organization Officially Welcomes Dr. Ching-Hua Lu as a Member of Its Board of Directors

Tainan City, Taiwan, December 07, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The ATAYAL Organization officially welcomed Dr. Ching-hua Lu to its board of directors on Wednesday. Dr. Lu is an Associate Professor with the Department of Tourism and Leisure Management at Tungfang Design University in Taiwan. The university is located in Kaohsiung near Tainan City. Her research interests include Okinawanology, indigenous tourism, and cultural studies. The decision was made not long after founder Tony Coolidge screened Voices in the Clouds and gave a lecture at Tung Fang Design University.

"I was impressed by Dr. Lu's knowledge of economic potential and value of indigenous communities in Taiwan, and I saw that she could be a valuable resource for the future our organization's programs in Taiwan," stated Mr. Coolidge. "I was moved by her enthusiasm to support our projects as well."

As a board member, Dr. Lu will provide guidance for acquiring funds and resources for ATAYAL programs. She has also committed to write a research paper on how the ATAYAL cultural exchange programs with Austronesian groups may lead to an opportunity for a new type of indigenous tourism targeting Austronesia and how it may benefit the economy of Taiwan. With her assistance, ATAYAL can show tangible evidence that its programs can positively affect the growth of cultural and economic exchange between Taiwan and the Austronesian nations of the Pacific.

The ATAYAL organization was founded in 2001 to provide a window into the indigenous culture of Taiwan for increased international awareness. In June 2012, after traveling to Taiwan, ATAYAL's founder revised the mission to share the Austronesian culture of Taiwan as it relates to the Austronesian nations of the Pacific. The non-profit organization, based in the United States, is actively creating cultural exchange programs between New Zealand and Taiwan and a film project.