Monthly nongovernmental organization seminars will be staged at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei City as part of government efforts to deepen cooperation with local NGOs and help the groups expand their international presence, the MOFA announced July 26.
Set to commence in August, the events are intended to serve as a platform for diplomats and NGO representatives to share experiences and expertise in areas spanning disaster relief, humanitarian aid, medical assistance and women’s rights, the MOFA said. The seminars will also explore potential collaborative projects, the ministry added.
According to Lai Ming-chi, director-general of the MOFA’s Department of NGO International Affairs, the government is committed to helping Taiwan aid groups boost their reach overseas. This is evidenced by ministry sponsorship of 744 and 790 NGO projects in 2016 and 2017, respectively, he said.
In view of China’s continued efforts to suppress the nation’s international space, NGOs can play an important role in enhancing Taiwan’s profile around the world, Lai added.
The inaugural seminar, set for Aug. 17, will feature an address by Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development Vice Director Huang Ling-hsiang on the group’s international gender equality projects.
Scheduled for Sept. 21, the second forum will welcome representatives from the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation. Operating more than 50 branches or offices in over 90 countries and territories, the Taiwan-based humanitarian aid group was granted special consultative status by the U.N. Economic and Social Council in 2010.
Focused on international medical cooperation, the October event will feature discussions with the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation, dedicated to helping patients with cleft lips and palates as well as craniofacial abnormalities, and central Taiwan’s Changhua Christian Hospital, a regular provider of clinical services in impoverished communities overseas.
Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan and Eden Social Welfare Foundation will attend the November seminar to share their experiences in providing educational and health support to children and underprivileged populations. The December forum will explore ongoing efforts by three local organizations—Taiwan Alliance in International Development, Taiwan Health Corps and Tri-Service General Hospital—to rebuild medical infrastructure and train health care personnel following the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal.
According to the MOFA, Taiwan is home to about 90,000 local and international NGOs in areas like environmental protection, humanitarian aid, medical assistance, public policy and social welfare. (KWS-E)
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