Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu delivers his opening remarks at the 10th anniversary celebration for the ministry’s International Youth Ambassador Exchange Program Oct. 13 at Taipei Guest House. (MOFA)
A celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-organized International Youth Ambassador Exchange Program was staged Oct. 13 at Taipei Guest House.
The event was attended by more than 400 alumni of the global outreach initiative as well as MOFA personnel and foreign diplomatic representatives stationed in Taiwan. It included a photography exhibition highlighting the project’s success in strengthening awareness of Taiwan and building people-to-people connections between local tertiary students and counterparts from around the world.
In his opening remarks, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu described the initiative as one of the MOFA’s key endeavors for deepening youth participation in international affairs. This program has harnessed the creativity of Taiwan’s young generations to promote the nation’s soft power and deepen cordial relations with host countries, he said.
According to Wu, more than 1,600 students have traveled overseas through the program, with quite a few graduates now working at the ministry or excelling in fields spanning business, education, health care, national defense and nongovernmental affairs.
Wu expressed gratitude to the participants and MOFA personnel for their contributions, stating that their efforts have encouraged local young people to develop their worldviews and fostered a sense of mission among Taiwan’s youth in serving their country. The alumni association launched at the anniversary celebration will provide a platform for graduates to tap into the program’s spirit of friendship and dynamism as they progress in their lives and careers, he added.
According to the MOFA, since its launch in 2009, the initiative has dispatched 170 groups to almost 70 countries and territories around the world. The delegations take part in volunteer activities and seminars and deliver cultural performances.
In line with the New Southbound Policy, this year’s edition was themed Taiwan’s Youth, Citizens of the World, and involved three groups of 25 youth ambassadors visiting a diplomatic ally and NSP country from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5. They traveled to Palau and the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Thailand, and Tuvalu and India, respectively.
A key plank in Taiwan’s national development strategy, the policy seeks to bolster agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. (KWS-E)
