The second annual convention of the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU) will be held in Taipei on Aug. 14, Vice President Annette Lu (
More than 100 guests from 33 countries are expected to attend the three-day event and a fundraiser will be held on the evening of Aug. 14, she said.
Lu's brainchild, the DPU brings together 28 democratic countries from the Asia-Pacific region. Established in August 2005, the organization aims to make a concerted effort to promote democracy, peace and prosperity in the world.
Lu made the announcement while addressing recipients of the first DPU graduate scholarship at the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon.
Eight recipients from four countries will obtain their master's degrees this year. Ten students from four countries received the scholarship last year.
Among the recipients taking turns in delivering their thank-you speech, David Hann from Nova Scotia, Canada, said that "thank you" was not enough to express his gratitude.
Hann said the reason he chose to come to Taiwan over China was because of Taiwan's democracy and freedom.
"If you are in China, you have to toe the line. You cannot go against what China does," he said in fluent Mandarin. "Here in Taiwan, we have the opportunity to discuss the pros and the cons of what Taiwan does because freedom allows that."
Hann, who will obtain his master's degree from National Chengchi University this summer, plans to do his doctorate at the same university.
He said he would like to be a professor in Taiwan after getting his degree because Taiwan is full of smart people.
"I'd say Taiwan is like a diamond in the rough. It's not shining yet," he said. "I'd like to be here to help promote more critical thinking among students."
Hann said he thought the Democratic Progressive Party administration's campaign to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" was a good idea because "Chinese Taipei" confuses people.
"You don't want confusion. You want clarity," he said, adding that Taiwan has a lot to offer but the country needs to sell itself a little bit better.
"They [have] got to convince other members that we're going to be an asset in that organization. It's not just `let us in because we're being marginalized,'" he said.
When he returns to Canada someday, Hann said he would seek to explain what Taiwan is because in North America people "don't learn a lot about Asia."
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