The annual Teen Diplomatic Envoy program is to send high-school students on an 11-day friendship tour of Australia and New Zealand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
Speaking at an event to announce this year’s envoys, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kelly Hsieh (謝武樵) congratulated the students for their hard work during the three-month selection process, which began in November last year.
The 12 envoys from three schools being sent to the two nations were chosen from among 70 high schools across Taiwan that submitted applications for teams of four to participate.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The three four-person teams were selected from Tainan’s Chang Jung Senior High School, Taipei Fuhsing Private School and Taipei Wego Private Senior High School.
The program, in its 20th year, is aimed at helping the envoys broaden their international outlook and improve their English proficiency, Hsieh said.
This year, the 12 envoys are to visit Sydney, Australia, and Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand for 11 days from Sunday to Feb. 7, he said.
Deputy Australian Representative to Taiwan Daniel Stuart said he was happy to see that the Taiwanese teen diplomats would be visiting his hometown of Sydney, which he called the most beautiful city in the world.
Youth exchanges have always been the foundation for Australia-Taiwan relations, Stuart said, adding that he believes the trip will allow the participants to not only practice English, but also increase their international awareness.
Since the program’s launch in 2002, it has been held annually except for 2021, 2022 and last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jointly organized by the ministry and the Ministry of Education, 2,500 high schools have applied since its inception, Hsieh said.
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