Taipei, April 22 (CNA) A Taiwan government-funded program enabling youths from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to participate in cross-cultural exchanges will be officially launched in July, a diplomat in charge of the program’s planning said Tuesday.
The Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, launched by the government in early 2025, was originally set to offer over 800 opportunities for Taiwanese nationals aged 15 to 30 to travel abroad for durations ranging from two weeks to up to one year.
This program focuses on fostering global connections and exchanges among Taiwanese youths.
Now the government is expanding the program to make it a two-way thing by inviting youths from Taiwan’s 12 diplomatic allies to visit the country for short-term stays, said Eric Lin (林世欣), deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MOFA) Department of Policy Planning, during a MOFA weekly briefing Tuesday.
MOFA is working with TaiwanICDF, a government-funded foreign aid agency, to implement the initiative, Lin said.
The initiative will be divided into two programs: one inviting youths from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to visit the country in a two-week trip during which they will experience the nation’s unique culture and latest developments under the themes of “Sustainable Tourism” and “Smart Agriculture,” MOFA said.
The two-week program will kick off in July in two batches with a total of 50 vacancies, Lin said.
The other part of the initiative would allow up to 25 youths from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to pitch to MOFA on the dreams he or she wishes to fulfill while in Taiwan.
Once approved, their Taiwan trips will last longer, from two weeks to no more than three months, starting in September, he added.
MOFA will be covering all their travels and accommodations during their stays in Taiwan, according to Lin.
Lin said MOFA is now asking its embassies in its 12 diplomatic allies to help promote the initiative. MOFA will also reserve some vacancies for youths from underprivileged families of these allies who have fewer opportunities to travel overseas to join the initiative, he added.
