In a bid to better implement Pres-ident Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) call for "citizen diplomacy" as well as cultivate young foreign-language talents, a nationwide English competition has been organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
The"Junior Diplomatic Fore-runners: English Team" competition is opened to high school students who are ROC citizens. Registrations will be accepted until Oct. 28.
However, citizens who are students of international schools in Taiwan or have had been studying in English?speaking countries for more than one year are not eligible.
"Through this competition, we hope to enhance the English proficiency of the nation's youngsters as well as enhance the public's interest in learning English," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) yesterday at a press conference held to publicize the competition.
According to the ministry, students who wish to participate must join a five-person team.
After the first round of competition, four teams will be selected from each region -- north, central and south -- to compete in the final round, which is scheduled to be held on Dec. 15.
The top three teams would then be selected based on their performance in two categories, impromptu English speech and a question-and-answer section. The first-place team will win NT$50,000, second-place merits NT$30,000 and third-place gets NT$10,000.
Chien said that the members of the first-place team would also be sent on trips, organized by the ministry, to English-speaking countries or Taiwan's allies during the coming winter recess.
Other competition sponsors include ICRT, the Taipei Times and the Public Television Service Foundation.
Interested high school students can call (02) 2634-0939 for more information or check out the contest Web site (http://www.pts.org.tw/~web01/abc/index.htm).
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