President Lai Ching-te said Jan. 26 that government promotion of the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative will continue in its mission to connect the younger generation with the world.
Lai made the remarks while receiving International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program and the Young Agricultural Ambassadors New Southbound Policy Exchange Program members at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. He thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture for organizing the programs.
According to Lai, more than 2,000 youth ambassadors and NSP agricultural ambassadors visited other countries over the past decade. He cited the example of agricultural ambassadors from Taiwan Indigenous tribes visiting Australia last year. Australia has a rich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture and was later developed as an agricultural power; both Indigenous culture and agriculture are aspects that resonate with Taiwan and inform diplomacy.
The programs enable Taiwan youth to contribute and participate internationally by showcasing the country’s agricultural soft power and technology prowess, the president said. The visits are a model of youthful facilitation of public diplomacy initiatives and reaffirm Lai’s belief in the capability of the next generation as contributing a bright future to the country, he added.
Over 1,400 young people took part in the initiative last year and Lai announced that the scale of the program will be expanded this year. There will be wider opportunity under the scheme for rural, disadvantaged and Indigenous youth to participate, he said.
The government continues to integrate resources from ministries and agencies to raise Taiwan’s international profile and offer Taiwanese youth the opportunity to contribute to other countries, the president said. He encouraged the young people present to work with the government to contribute to Taiwan’s future as Team Taiwan. (YCH-E)
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