The sixth season of the documentary series “Taiwan to the World” is set to air on National Geographic Channel, showcasing stories of inspiring men and women from around the nation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feb. 7.
 
Co-produced by the MOFA and NGC, the five-episode season titled “Taiwan’s Toughest” will premiere in the local market Feb. 12, airing Mondays at 10 p.m. The program will also be broadcast in 38 other countries and territories, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
 
The first episode follows Taiwan’s firefighters, who regularly put themselves in harm’s way to save lives. Sniffer dogs will feature in the next episode, which illuminates the daily activities of the clever canines and their trainers as they work to detect invasive fire ants that compromise airport runway lights.
 
Also featured this season are biologist Li Chia-wei and his team as they venture into tropical rain forests to collect rare plant specimens; promising athletes on their journey to play in Major League Baseball; and members of the National Airborne Service Corps, who carry out rescue operations on land and at sea.
 
Speaking at the show’s launch ceremony in Taipei City, Vice President Chen Chien-jen thanked Taiwan’s everyday heroes for their service. “We are able to enjoy a safer, kinder and more developed country because of these selfless people who give everything to their cause,” Chen said, adding that these men and women embody the values of determination and dedication that are intrinsic to Taiwan society.
 
Also speaking at the event, MOFA Minister David Tawei Lee said the series gives the international community a unique window into Taiwan. The notable achievements that local heroes have made deserve to be shared with the world, he added.
 
The “Taiwan to the World” project is an exemplary model that has been successfully adopted in other countries like Malaysia and South Korea, according to Laura Glassman, vice president of programming and production at Fox Networks Group Asia. Since “Taiwan to the World” was launched in 2003, the MOFA and NGC have produced 23 episodes that have won 18 domestic and international awards and reached millions of viewers worldwide. (KWS-E)