Mon, Sep 10, 2007 page2

• Youths offer advice to top government officials at forum

  • By Angelica Oung / STAFF REPORTER
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  Students and other youths held the podium yesterday during the closing session of the annual Youth National Affairs Conference, with senior government officials listening to what they had to say about education, agricultural policy, global warming and other issues.

  Young people from around the nation told the government officials they should let underperforming universities go out of business, support farmers with technical and marketing know-how rather than subsidies and support transportation alternatives that could obviate the need to build the controversial Suhua freeway.

  "This is the best platform we young people have for reaching senior decision-makers with our ideas," said Yen Chiang-lung (顏江龍), a participant in last year's conference and cochairman of the Youth National Affairs Conference Consulting Committee that helped organize this year's conference.

  This was the fourth annual Youth National Affairs Conference. All young people between the ages of 18 and 30 were eligible to participate in the event.

  PREPARATIONS

  "This year, 963 youths applied to participate in the regional conferences," Yen said. "The stereotype of young Taiwanese being apathetic is not always true."

  Four hundred participants were chosen at random out of those who applied, Yen said.

  The 400 who attended the regional conferences then chose delegates to form eight groups to represent them at the national conference. Each group was responsible for discussing one topic, such as "global warming and the development of industries," for two days before producing a consensus document with recommendations for the government.

  Every group member was required to sign the document.

  This was an exercise in participatory democracy and it was quite different from the bitterly confrontational battles that characterize much of the political process in this country, Yen said.

  "At the conference, we don't go to bed until we find common ground," Yen said, adding that his group last year had finished its document at 6am.

  "It doesn't matter what your background is or whether or not you're from a remote area. If you are a young person under 30, this is an opportunity for your voice to be heard," said Yen, who hails from Penghu.

  CHALLENGING

  Young Tei-yual (楊百月) was part of the group that looked at agricultural policy.

  "It was really hard to come to a conclusion because everybody had a different background and some of the issues can be quite technical and specialized," Young said.

  "But in the end, everyone agreed that more agricultural subsidies will just further sap the competitiveness of our farmers in the face of globalization," Young said.

  Asked by the Taipei Times if he was satisfied with the response he received from the Council of Agriculture's deputy chairman after the group presentations, Young said: "It was very polite and probably didn't mean anything concrete ... But at least he was there to listen."
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