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.