Broadcast date: September 21, 2025—Islands in Between – Special Program for the International Day of Peace This episode weaves together history, literature, and artistic performance to explore the multifaceted nature and profound significance of peace. In 2001, the United Nations designated September 21 as the International Day of Peace, calling for a global ceasefire and the practice of nonviolence. This is not only a political initiative but also a shared human aspiration and commitment. In honor of this occasion, we present a special program for the International Day of Peace. The episode is divided into two main segments: Part I: “Good Night, Music Story House” – More Than a Romantic, a Rebel: The Young Xin Qi-Ji (辛棄疾) Listeners are invited to travel back to the Southern Song Dynasty to meet the young Xin Qi-Ji—not only a literary giant in the world of ci poetry, but also a passionate patriot. The drama reenacts his journey from scholar to warrior, revealing that his poetry is not merely about romance and nature, but also a powerful cry for national destiny. His famous work Nánxiāngzǐ: On Climbing Beigu Pavilion at Jingkou includes the line: “Of all the rise and fall through the ages, Endlessly, the Yangtze River flows.” This verse speaks to the sorrow of history and echoes the deeper meaning of Peace Day: in the long river of time, peace remains the most precious pursuit. Part II: Islands in Between This segment explores the unique geopolitical significance of Kinmen (金門), Matsu (馬祖), and Penghu (澎湖)—three island groups that once stood on the frontlines of the Cold War and now serve as symbols of peace. Cultural exchange, rather than military presence, becomes the gentlest and most enduring form of peace advocacy. We feature interviews with Kinmen Chinese Orchestra Artistic Director Huang Kuang-Yu (黃光佑), Matsu Theater Troupe (馬祖戲劇團) Director Li Cui-Yun (李翠雲), North Star Theater (北角星戲劇團) Executive Director Chen Bi-Yun (陳碧雲), and young conductor Zhang Yang (張揚), who share how art becomes the soil from which beauty and sorrow across the sea can be heard. Time holds quiet surprises within its passing. Through this episode, we hope to glimpse how these island regions have gradually shed their military identity over the past two decades, transforming into sources of artistic energy and distilling a unique blend of history and culture. This is the true longing of the human heart—peace.