Taiwan Today

A Ministry of Education-funded initiative is giving talented Taiwan youths a chance to represent the country and learn from their peers in international organizations.

Ever since childhood, 25-year-old May Lin (林佳諺) has been fascinated by the natural world. Visiting the zoo in Taiwan, she would imagine the far-away lands that her favorite animals called home, from emperor penguins in the freezing Antarctic to elephants in the baking heat of the African savannah. Today, however, her mind is full of anxiety when she thinks of the future that awaits creatures around the world on the front line of climate change. With global warming leading to raging wildfires and melting ice caps, the very survival of entire ecosystems is in doubt.

“Climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our time, putting the planet’s biological diversity at risk. We see it everywhere—in weather patterns and throughout habitats,” Lin said. “Everyone has to do more to address this crisis.”

In late 2019, Lin and a colleague from Taipei City-based International Climate Development Institute (ICDI) traveled to Spain for two weeks to participate in the 15th Conference of Youth (COY15) and 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Their trip to the European country was made possible thanks to financial support from the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration (YDA) in line with the iYouth Voice Program.

The initiative encourages young people aged 18-35 to participate in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of international and nongovernmental organizations (NGO). “The program is designed to provide experience participating in global affairs while broadening horizons,” YDA administrator Jean Wang (王佑菁) said. “It also helps boost Taiwan’s international image and visibility.”

Open Opportunity

Since the program’s inception in 2014, about 200 teams totaling nearly 4,000 individuals have taken part. Under the iYouth umbrella, they have attended events focusing on topics such as climate change, gender equality and health care.

Wang is impressed by young adults’ enthusiasm and proactive approach to important issues, as well as their eagerness to work with others regardless of background to find solutions. That is why under her leadership YDA has expanded access to its resources, ensuring more young people than ever before have a chance to maximize their potential.

“In terms of personal development, engaging with people from around the world allows youths to develop cross-cultural communication skills and international networks while keeping abreast of emerging trends,” Wang said. “They can learn from their foreign counterparts, share their own experiences and increase global understanding of Taiwan’s open society and vibrant democracy.”

For Lin, attending COY15 and COP25 as well as organizing related side events was an academically, professionally and personally enriching experience. “It was a great opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking,” she said. “I found out a lot about different countries’ strategies for tackling climate change and how best to mitigate the effects.”

ICDI hosted two workshops at COY15 in cooperation with Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition, introducing their research results regarding national contributions as well as Taiwan’s climate policies and actions. It also collaborated with urban development organizations including Seoul-headquartered CityNet and World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization to present the 2020 Global Smart Solution Report.

“The iYouth program offers much needed funding for young people to travel overseas and participate in policy-planning and decision-making at the international level,” Lin said. “With training and support, they can become powerful advocates for change.”

Ideas Exchange

Sabrina Hsieh (謝璿‬), a 22-year-old graduate of Taipei City-based National Taiwan University (NTU), is in full agreement about the benefits iYouth provides young adults. She and four of her friends were funded by the program to take a one-week trip to the U.S. in February last year for the Mom Annual Maternal and Mental Health Forum held in Los Angeles.

Working under the group name Dadable, Hsieh and her peers are seeking to promote gender equality and greater involvement for fathers in child-rearing. “Our mission is to make it so mothers don’t have to choose between career and family,” Hsieh said. “We want to draw attention to the mental health issues some women experience during the perinatal period as well as common forms of pregnancy-related discrimination in the workplace.”

According to Hsieh, Dadable decided to enroll in iYouth because of the opportunity to foster connections with like-minded organizations and learn best practices associated with gender equality, all while expanding Taiwan’s visibility in the international arena. The two-day Mom forum provided all that and more, with discussions focusing on employer strategies, technology and regulatory levers to ensure women and families receive the maternity and mental health care they deserve.

“It’s one of the few international meetings focused on closing gaps in maternal mental health care through advocacy, collaboration and education,” Hsieh said. “Meanwhile, we’re able to meet new people in our field and broaden our thinking by listening to new ideas.”

During the conference, Dadable prepared pamphlets to raise awareness of Taiwan’s progress in achieving gender equality. They also fed their experiences to followers back home through social media, sharing the benefits of iYouth with a whole new audience. “The trip gave us a better understanding of U.S. policies regarding work and family life such as community-based day care,” Hsieh said

To make the most of their time in LA, the group members also visited several local organizations including LA Dads Group and Dads Matter, both dedicated to helping fathers navigate the journey of parenthood. Dadable is hoping to link up with these NGOs in the future to jointly organize a photography exhibition in Taiwan.

Playing Host

While seeking to encourage youth engagement at the global level, iYouth also offers financial incentives for groups that organize and host conferences in Taiwan and are elected to executive roles in international organizations. Such experiences are expected to further develop the creative and innovative potential of young people.

The Federation of Medical Students in Taiwan (FMS-Taiwan) is a prime example, having won the right to host the 68th August Meeting of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) in Taiwan. Li Po-chin (李柏錦), an FMS-Taiwan member from National Cheng Kung University’s School of Medicine in the southern city of Tainan, was elected as the 2020-2021 IFMSA president, becoming the first member from the Asia-Pacific region to take on the position in 25 years.

Headquartered in Denmark, the IFMSA connects 1.3 million medical students from 133 member organizations in 123 countries. Its biannual general assembly is among the world’s biggest youth-led events, according to the federation.

The August 2019 meeting held in Taipei was a widely praised success, with 880 medical students from 107 countries in attendance. “Organizing an international event is a daunting task, especially for students with limited resources,” said Chan Yen-kuang (詹彥廣), vice chairperson for public relations at FMS-Taiwan. “Thankfully, with government support, everything went smoothly and feedback was very positive.”

Over the course of the 15-day event, FMS-Taiwan’s members planned a variety of activities including lion dances for the opening and closing ceremonies, cultural nights, exhibitions, workshops and sightseeing tours to give attendees a taste of Taiwan-style hospitality alongside the normal IFMSA proceedings. Under the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Health Care,” the meeting focused on improving medical education, reducing health inequality and utilizing technology to reshape health care systems.

“It’s been an honor to fly the flag for Taiwan as an innovator and provider of high-quality medical education and services by hosting the event,” Chan said. “We learned a lot from our exchanges with overseas counterparts, such as about curriculum reform initiatives they have launched.” Plus, the preparation was a great learning experience, requiring a variety of skills to plan activities, find suitable locations and organize schedules, he added.

The many rewarding experiences cited by iYouth participants demonstrate the effectiveness of the funding program. “Giving young people as many opportunities as possible to represent their country on the world stage not only maximizes their own developmental potential but also that of local communities,” YDA’s Wang said. “It’s all about learning from friends abroad while sticking true to homegrown Taiwan values.” 

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw