Taiwan won a top honor in the government category of the inaugural Catalyst 2030 Systems Change Award, spotlighting the country’s efforts to cultivate a collaborative ecosystem addressing key social issues, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs March 26.
Selected from among more than 200 total nominees, Taiwan was awarded alongside Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development, the government of Paraguay and Malawi’s Ministry of Health during the virtual ceremony staged by the Amsterdam-based nongovernmental organization. Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang received the prize via livestream on behalf of the government.
During her acceptance remarks, Tang said the award demonstrates global recognition of Taiwan’s commitment to promoting social innovation, which has played a vital part in strengthening the government’s response to COVID-19. The country embraces the values of freedom, openness and democracy and is willing and able to share its experiences with countries around the world in line with the Taiwan Can Help spirit, she added.
According to Catalyst 2030, the government of Taiwan has fostered a supportive environment for enterprises via policies such as the social innovation action plan launched by the Executive Yuan in 2018. It has also coordinated creative solutions to societal challenges via initiatives like the annual Presidential Hackathon, the organization said.
Established at the World Economic Forum in Davos last January, Catalyst 2030 comprises more than 500 academic institutions, enterprises and governments seeking inventive, people-centric approaches to attaining the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. (YCH-E)
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