The National Youth Commission and local nonprofit organizations have launched a program aimed at encouraging people between the ages of 15 and 30 to take an educational journey around the country exploring their roots.
“Given that many young people in Taiwan do not have in-depth knowledge about the country, we hope this program will offer them a new way to explore Taiwan,” Commission Minister Wang Yu-ting (王昱婷) said on Monday.
The Youth Travel Spots in Taiwan, Grand Tour aims to boost the competitiveness of young people, she said, because they stand to learn as much from society as in the classroom.
“Youths should begin their grand tour of life by learning about their homeland,” she said.
The Grand Tour program lists 29 locations that teach about the environment, Aboriginal cultures, humanitarian issues and cultural events.
Lahuy Icyeh, an Atayal who just finished post-graduate studies, said that on his trip to Smangus Village in Hsinchu County, he learned the spirit of sharing in other Aboriginal cultures.
The commission said the first group of participants in the program would receive a 10 percent discount. Participants can submit their travel journals and pictures for an online competition, as well.
Underprivileged youths are eligible for as much as NT$30,000 in subsidies by participating in programs that work with charities.
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