The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeking young people to be “ambassadors” to help promote the government’s New Southbound Policy of building closer ties with nations in South and Southeast Asia, and yesterday began to accept applications to a recruitment program.
This year’s program plans to recruit 75 Taiwanese aged 18 to 35 who are graduate or undergraduate students for a 10-day trip to the targeted nations, Department of NGO International Affairs Deputy Director-General Janet Chang (張秀禎) said.
The program aims to enhance people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and the target nations.
The delegates, divided into three groups of 25, are to embark on trips starting in August, Chang said, adding that the ministry has yet to decide which nations the delegates would be visiting.
Launched by the ministry in 2009, the initiative seeks to broaden the worldview of young Taiwanese and boost international awareness of Taiwan’s society and culture.
Since its inception, the youth ambassador initiative has sent 164 groups of more than 1,400 students to almost 70 nations and territories worldwide, the ministry said.
Ambassador applications can be downloaded at www.youthtaiwan.net and www.taiwanngo.tw. The submission deadline is April 30.
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