The International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) held the passing-out ceremony for the 14th group of servicemen from the Taiwan Youth Overseas Service at the Tien-Mou International Convention Center in Taipei today (October 24). Having completed a six-week training course, 86 young men who have opted to perform diplomatic service in lieu of military conscription will now be dispatched to 18 countries across Asia and the Pacific, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa, among them providing services at 12 of Taiwan’s technical and medical missions, and on 20 special projects. Their work will include, among other things, agronomy, horticulture, aquaculture, animal husbandry, public health and medicine, agribusiness management and ICT.

The Taiwan Youth Overseas Service was established in 2001, with a total of 1,005 servicemen having previously served with the program prior to the recruitment of this year’s 14th group. The majority of these previous draftees have found that their experience of serving overseas proves to be an extremely important asset, not only broadening their horizons and enhancing language proficiency, but also offering a chance to learn from others in a foreign environment, which brings with it many cherished memories.

At the culmination of the passing-out ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon S.Y. Ko presented a serviceman with a flag bearing the colors of the Taiwan Youth Overseas Service, representing a symbolic handover of responsibility to each of the members of the service.

Speaking after this handover, Deputy Minister Ko said that the servicemen would be expected to shoulder a diverse range of responsibilities, and explained that the Taiwanese government sees the Taiwan Youth Overseas Service as an important part of the country’s technical human resources in providing foreign aid. He told the assembled servicemen that while serving in Taiwan’s partner countries, they should apply their specialist knowledge to assist those already stationed at Taiwan’s overseas missions in making full and efficient use of the country’s valuable resources, facilitating the development of their host partner countries.

Deputy Minister Ko also said that in returning to Taiwanese society after completing their period of service, servicemen will have not only raised their foreign language and professional capacities, but also gained a greater familiarity with the people and culture of different countries, and a better understanding of development opportunities in developing countries. With these advantages, Deputy Minister Ko said, former members of the service have a lot to offer Taiwanese society, representing a reserve of outstanding foreign aid personnel, and also being seen as prime candidates for global enterprises.

Also speaking to the servicemen, TaiwanICDF Secretary General Weber Shih earnestly encouraged the servicemen’s future efforts, saying that they should work together with local people in their host countries, building friendships, and showing the people there the sincerity, positivity and professional attitude of young Taiwanese people, which he said would win Taiwan warm and positive feedback from the international community.

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• Update: 2018/03/01
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