Taiwan will host the second annual APEC International Youth Camp from Aug. 1 to Aug. 6, Youth Commissioner Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) announced yesterday.
Young people representing 15 APEC countries will come to exchange notes on this year's theme, "Youth Entrepreneurship."
"We are very fortunate to have won the bid to host this year's camp," Cheng said at a press conference yesterday.
"This is a rare opportunity to exhibit Taiwan's strengths to international representatives, and for Taiwanese youths to get involved in the international community."
Cheng thanked APEC for entrusting the camp to Taiwan. APEC representatives from South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico, Peru, and Thailand were present for the release of conference information.
Young and strong
The camp is structured around presentations of national strengths by teams of students between the ages of 15 and 23.
Fourteen local teams will be discussing their research with colleagues and acting as tour guides.
Thailand was the host of last year's youth camp.
"Hosting the conference greatly improved Thailand's image abroad," said senior secretary of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office Chusak Kulvatdhanaporn. "I am certain it will do the same for Taiwan."
The National Youth Commission also released three short television commercials yesterday, each featuring President Chen Shui-bian (
One of the clips showed the sale of Bali bubble milk tea in Paris while another introduced the work of Taiwanese volunteer Pan Yi-ning (
"I am proud to say `I am Taiwanese,' and `I am from Taiwan,'" Pan said at the press conference.
"Our warmth and caring reaches into the farthest corners of the world," she said.
Cheng said she hoped the conference would be a catalyst for civic and social involvement in addition to entrepreneurship.
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