Members of the 2025 International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program are already contributing to connections between Taiwan and its Pacific neighbors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sept. 3.
According to the MOFA, 40 college students were selected to take part in the program this year. They visited Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and the U.S. territory of Guam Aug. 20-31.
During their stay in Hawaii, the group met with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and took part in a discussion ranging from regional cooperation to energy and sustainability with scholars at the East-West Center. They also presented a program of dance and music that showcased Taiwan’s cultural diversity at the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu.
Their next stop was the Marshall Islands, where they met with Minister of Education, Sports and Training Gerald Zackios and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani Kaneko, as well as Nitijela Speaker Brenson Wase and several other members of parliament. Kaneko stressed the robust bond between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands and praised the group’s promotion of bilateral exchanges.
The delegates also visited several high schools to better understand the lunch programs implemented by Taiwan’s technical mission; jointly organized a youth climate forum with students of the College of the Marshall Islands that featured a speech by Bremity Lakjohn, environmental minister in assistance to the president ; and staged a Taiwan Cultural Night event to perform for key political figures and other participants.
While visiting Guam, the group was received by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, who stressed the shared Austronesian heritage of the two sides as well as the values the two sides hold in common, and encouraged the delegates to expand their knowledge of Guam’s history to enhance bilateral exchanges and connection. They also took part in a youth forum on Indo-Pacific strategies, exchanged views with Speaker of the Legislature Frank Blas Jr. and other politicians, and staged a cultural night event for nearly 200 attendees.
The youth ambassador initiative is the flagship youth empowerment program of MOFA’s Department of NGO International Affairs. It has provided around 1,800 young people with training and experience in international affairs since it began in 2009. (SFC-E)
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