MOE Deputy Minister Yao Leehter (center) is all smiles alongside youths from home and abroad at the 2017 Global Youth Trends Forum Oct. 29 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOE)

A two-day global youth forum concluded Oct. 29 in Taipei City, with 269 participants from home and abroad engaging in discussions aimed at fostering sustainable solutions.
 
Organized by the Youth Development Administration under the Ministry of Education, the 2017 Global Youth Trends Forum—Youth Initiatives for Sustainable Development invited attendees to devise practical strategies in the three areas of cultivating civic competence to promote justice and active participation, managing the impacts of climate change and stimulating green consumption.
 
MOE Deputy Minister Yao Leehter said this year’s event focused on issues including climate change, resource depletion and the spread of diseases so as to boost understanding among local and overseas youths of the major challenges facing the international community and strengthen awareness of the importance of sustainability.
 
Speaking after participants’ presentations, Yao said their diverse ethnic and educational backgrounds brought rich cultural experience and practical know-how to the discussions. He encouraged those in attendance to use the approaches and information explored during the forum to bolster sustainability in their communities.
 
According to the MOE, a total 169 local youths and 100 counterparts from 15 foreign nations, including six New Southbound Policy target countries—Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam—joined this year’s event. They agreed on a range of measures in the three topic areas.
 
For cultivating civic competence that promotes justice, attendees outlined the need for an institutional framework to empower youth participation in public affairs and deepen their involvement in decision-making processes.
 
With regard to combating global warming and its impacts, they proposed a three-pronged strategy of strengthening climate change education in schools, developing innovative products such as mobile applications to boost social awareness of the issue, and using social media to establish youth communities focused on advancing sustainable solutions.
 
On green consumption, participants laid out measures including encouraging the use of reusable containers, providing incentives for the manufacturing of green products and setting up food banks to minimize food waste.
 
Launched in 2013, the Global Youth Trends Forum serves as a platform for young people to exchange knowledge and viewpoints while gaining a deeper understanding of international affairs. Prior to this year’s edition, the overseas participants also went on a four-day tour of cultural and natural attractions in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County and Tainan City. (CPY-E)