TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) sent 20 students to the US and Canada on Tuesday for the Teen Diplomatic Envoys program.
Lin said the program furthers the foreign ministry’s goal of public diplomacy, per CNA. He said that in response to President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) push to prioritize youth exchanges, MOFA has increased the number of scholarships for Taiwanese, while finding new ways to attract international students to study in Taiwan.
The program has sent 58 delegations totaling 230 students abroad over the past 21 years. Lin said the program helps Taiwanese students develop an international outlook while raising Taiwan’s profile abroad.
This year, the committee selected 20 students from over 300 contestants. They represent five high schools in Taiwan: Taipei Fuhsing Private School, Taipei's Chingshin Academy, Changhua's Ching Cheng High School, Taichung's Ming-Der Senior High School, and Taipei First Girls High School.
The first group will cover Seattle, San Francisco, and Vancouver, while the second group will visit Washington D.C., New York, and Boston. The student delegations will visit government bodies, cultural institutions, and NGOs while engaging with local students.