2020-07-26

Youths and representatives in Taiwan from 16 countries gathered, celebrating the closing of the youth talent training in international affairs

The Council of Indigenous Peoples have long been dedicated to the training of indigenous talents in international affairs, and the closing ceremony of domestic training for the 2020 Austronesian Forum – Cultivation Program of Young Talents for International Affairs is held at the Hsin Hotel in Chaiyi today. The ceremony is chaired by Deputy Minister Iwan Nawi of CIP, with ambassadors and representatives from 12 countries attending the festive ceremony, including Palua, Nauru, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Saint Lucia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, and the State of Hawaii.
At the beginning of the closing ceremony, the student performing troupe from Fu Jen Catholic University sang popular music and the traditional music of the Kavalan, Rukai, Atayal, Truku, Bunun, and Pangcah/Amis peoples. Singing the joy of gathering, the songs bless the trainees with wishes for them to embrace future challenges with the trainings they have received. Deputy Minister Iwan Nawi and ambassadors and representatives to Taiwan followed by presenting the trainees with certificates of training on stage. Deputy Minister Iwan mentioned in her remark that this is the 17th years of the CIP Cultivation Program of Young Talents for International Affairs, and new additions are included in the courses each year. She further emphasized that this is the first time we have youths from Belize and Australia, which are non-Austronesian countries, participating in the training.
In her remark, Deputy Minister Iwan gave warm encouragements to students from the Republic of Kiribati and the Solomon Islands studying in Taiwan and participated in the training, and expressed her joy of seeing the youth gathering and joining forces here, continuing this friendship and connection. She also hopes to continue promoting the empowerment and exchanges of youth in the Austronesian region via the solid foundation established by the permanent organization of the Austronesian Forum. In addition, the CIP also announced that there will be overseas training courses in the future, taking talented Taiwan and Austronesian trainees to Austronesian countries for off-site training, visit the sites discussed, and broaden our horizon by learning, an announcement that was welcomed by all trainees and ambassadors to Taiwan.
The CIP further pointed out that this year's training included trainees of various indigenous peoples in Taiwan as well as students studying in Taiwan from 12 countries, including Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Belize, the Republic of Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, a total of 29 participants. With the training taking place in the Saviki community of the Tsou people in Alishan Township, Chaiyi County, trainees were taken into the field to talk to local indigenous peoples. The training also included courses in Introduction to the Austronesian language, the skills of participating in international conferences, and issues of the Austronesian peoples. The courses offer trainees insight to the issues faced by indigenous peoples in Taiwan, while learning about the current development of the Austronesian peoples and the challenges we commonly face.