Our policy is that the local organizations will have to put up some of the money themselves. That way, you are really going to have a partner that you are working with, and you don't get the problem of interference on local affairs. You are really there to work with them. The partnership has to be real, it cannot be just words, but one that is genuine, in which you are doing something that the local organization genuinely wants to do.
TT: What might be the challenges?
Sullivan: Aside from the challenge of finding the right organizations to work with, the other thing is to understand what is really going on in that country, to really begin to understand the issues. It is very easy to make an assumption and to try to rearrange it to look like what is in the textbooks instead of trying to first figure out what's really going on there and what the people are trying to accomplish.
TT: How can Taiwan consolidate its democracy?
Sullivan: Consolidation is important and is one of the things that Taiwan, as it continues its transition, doesn't fully understand.
One thing you can do would be to start civic education, citizenship education. Civic education is extremely important: the whole idea of developing values, tolerance and understanding on how government works, understanding how individuals can participate in politics and government, what your rights are, what your responsibilities are.
It can be done in a lot of different ways. One way I think is good is to develop a subject called "Civics." It's just about teaching people why it is important to vote and how you get the government you deserve. Once you have democracy, you get the government that you deserve. If people don't participate in it, then it won't be a good government.
Governance is just as important: how government functions on a day-to day basis, how it makes decisions, how regulations are carried out, where people can participate and so on. These are all important aspects of consolidating a democratic system.
Taiwan has a real lesson to teach the world and an opportunity to see it happen. It has not happened enough; in Latin America, it keeps on going backward. It is very positive that Taiwan can share its experience with other countries.
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