A government-funded program enabling young people from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to participate in cross-cultural exchanges would be officially launched in July, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said yesterday.
The Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, introduced earlier this year, was initially designed to offer more than 800 opportunities for Taiwanese aged 15 to 30 to participate in overseas programs lasting from two weeks to one year, focusing on cultivating global connections and exchanges for young Taiwanese.
Now, the program is expanding into a two-way exchange, with young people from the nation’s 12 diplomatic allies to be invited to visit Taiwan for short-term cultural and educational experiences, MOFA Department of Policy Planning deputy head Eric Lin (林世欣) said during a weekly news briefing.
Photo: CNA
The ministry is partnering with the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, a government-funded foreign aid agency, to implement the expanded initiative, Lin said.
The initiative would be divided into two programs, with the first inviting young people from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to participate in a two-week visit, where they would experience Taiwan’s culture and latest developments under the themes of “sustainable tourism” and “smart agriculture,” the ministry said.
This two-week program would begin in July in two separate batches, with a total of 50 participants, Lin said.
The second component of the initiative would allow up to 25 young people from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to submit proposals to the ministry outlining personal goals or aspirations they wish to pursue while in Taiwan, he said.
Once approved, participants in the second program would embark on longer visits to Taiwan, ranging from two weeks to three months, beginning in September, Lin said.
The ministry would cover all travel and accommodation expenses for participants during their stay, he added.
The ministry has instructed its embassies in the nation’s 12 diplomatic allies to help with outreach, Lin said.
The ministry would also reserve some vacancies for young people from underprivileged families who have fewer opportunities to travel overseas, he added.
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