The Words of the Chang Family
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The Words of the Chang Family |
Taipei, Taiwan -- Reflecting Taiwan's outstanding cultural, economic, and democratic development, its NGOs have been active in many parts of the world, offering medical assistance, development aid, educational opportunities, and emergency relief. As a member of a global family, indeed Taiwan is making genuine contributions toward fulfilling the UN Millennium Development Goals.
With such a background on what we can offer toward UN's MDGs, Universal Peace Federation Taiwan decided to hold a forum on March 26 at the International Conference Center of the Civil Service Development Institute in Taipei. The forum was on Taiwan's contribution toward advancing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The purpose was to help Taiwanese and international friends understand how Taiwan's NGOs demonstrate an altruistic spirit that goes beyond boundaries, with her footprint engaged in charitable work abroad, encounter difficulties and achievements. Meanwhile, we are looking forward for NGOs to cooperate with one another, and let Taiwan lives for the sake of a better world. The forum was supported by grants from Taiwan's Council for Cultural Affairs and jointly organized with the Professors World Peace Academy.
The moderator of this forum was H.E. Amb. Raymond R.M. Tai, Former Ambassador to the Holy See and a member of the board of UPF-Taiwan. The first speaker was Amb. Sheng-Tsung Yang, former Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He spoke on the topic "International NGOs: Sacrifices, Challenges, and Opportunities" and shared his experiences about participating the UPF international conference at Seoul Korea in February 2011. The second speaker was from the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF Taiwan), Director Wang Hung-Tzu, who spoke on the topic "Experiences on the Agricultural Technical Mission to Help Developing Countries and Humanitarian Medical Service." The third speaker was Ms. Lily Lin, President of the National Alliance of Taiwan Women's Association, who spoke on the topic "Taiwan Experience in Improving Education for Women and Girls in Science and Technology." She shared her experiences participating the 55th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
Dr. Po Ya Chang, President of UPF-Taiwan and Chairperson of the Central Election Commission in Taiwan, began with introducing the moderator of the forum, H.E. Raymond R.M. Tai, who has truly been an Ambassador for Peace engaged in foreign affairs and promoting peace among nations for almost 50 years. She also introduced a few local dignities and four ambassadors: H.E. Amb. William Manuel Tapia Aleman from Nicaragua; H.E. Amb. Jorge Amado from Sao Tome and Principe; H.E. Amb. Njabuliso B. Gwebu from Swaziland; and H.E. Amb. Ludwig Keke from Nauru.
H.E. Raymond R.M. Tai began by giving a background on the Republic of China's withdrawal from the UN, which was exactly 40 years ago. Even though the UN abandoned Taiwan for 40 years, Taiwan did not forsake the UN. Taiwan has been working through many NGOs and doing a lot of projects that make contribution over the years. Taiwan is always complying with the ideas of UN and put it into practice. Both the Government and NGOs have invested a lot of effort to meet the eight targets of the UN MDGs. We all hope that such efforts by Taiwan to fulfill international responsibilities can be more widely known.
Ms.Wang Hung-Tzu, Director of the International Cooperation and Development Fund, mentioned that Taiwan has a special potential to contribute to the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; thus Taiwan had been sending technology missions to many countries. Taiwan is not wealthy in natural resources; however, she has huge human resources. Hence, Taiwan can help other countries through sending medical missions to fight against infectious diseases to improve health. Therefore, we like to actively promote our work and extend our friendship to international partners.
ICDF will comply with the regulation of the "Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (OECD)." According to the guideline which is based on demands of the individual partner countries, we could share Taiwan development's experiences with our friendly nations or developing nations helping them in the progress of their national economic growth. At present, ICDF's main projects includes: investment and financing, technical cooperation, the international human resources development and the international humanitarian assistance. Up until the year 2010, ICDF already invested about 28 countries in Africa, Central and South America, Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and West Asia that add up to 33 missions included technical, medical, industrial, investment and trade mission. There are 220 technicians making contribution in the areas include the agriculture, fisheries, horticulture, farm machinery, livestock, handicrafts, medicine, water conservancy, transportation, industrial services and trade investment. Now, there are 89 projects invested in the nations included Burkina Faso, Gambia, Swaziland, Sao Tome and Principe, Dominican, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Belize, Paraguay, Ecuador, Marshallese, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Island, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Thailand has technology mission very soon.
One of the successful projects is fishery plant in Honduras, ICDF technical mission offered the skill of tilapia cultivation technology, nowadays Honduras has become the world's fifth-largest tilapia exporting countries. At the same time, it provides more job opportunities and high-quality animal protein sources at the remote areas of the country. The funding of this scheme will be NT $ 53 million (US$1,827,811) from 2011-2015; also ICDF will continues to assist Nicaragua in sustainable rice production and that funding will be NT $ 20 million (US$689,740) from 2011-2016. In addition, due to the success in Tilapia cultivation in Honduras, this project acquired the recognition from the United States foreign aid organization "Food For the Poor (FFP)", then FFP provided US$ 1.5 million grant in aid to support expanding the project to the other 5 countries.
On the humanitarian medical aid, ICDF has permanent medical missions in Burkina Faso, Swaziland and Sao Tome and Principe. In 2010, there were 49,788 persons (person-time) benefit from the medical services, and 7,293 local medical staffs had received training. There are 88 mobile medical missions with more than 700 persons participated from 2006 to 2010, they visited 24 nations among countries in Africa, Central and South America, Southeast Asia and Oceania areas, they offered roving diagnosis mission, clinical teaching demonstration, information and technology exchanges, the number of beneficiaries is more than 130,000 persons.
Over the years, ICDF also provide scholarship for international students to further their study in Taiwan for Bachelor, Master and Doctoral education program, there were 640 foreign students benefit from it. Many graduates returned to their home countries and became outstanding leaders of their country. ICEF also supports Mongolia poverty children with scholarship program. There were 7000 students benefit from it since year 2001.
Amb. Yang who joined the UPF International Conference at Seoul Korea in February this year, sharing his experience and mentioned that based on his 40 years in the diplomatic career perspective, the conference at Seoul has brought him with great encouragement. He witnessed the sacrifice, dedication and effort of the UPF Founder Rev. Dr. Moon. Also, when he came to understand that the motivation of intermarriage Blessing, especially 6,500 Japanese and Korean young couples who received Blessing from Rev. Moon in 1989, with the purpose of eradicating the generation of hatred, he said: "Rev Moon has such a remarkable great vision which is truly amazing, his dedication is a thought-provoking for all of us." Amb. Yang represented Confucianism offering an invocation at the opening ceremony. He conveyed the invocation message that the core of Confucianism is to create a world of great harmony, emphasis that all under heaven are equal, one should focus on cultivating moral character to govern oneself, followed by regulate one family successfully, and one be able to govern the State and bring peace to the world. This is exactly in accordance to the core principle of UPF.
UPF conference provided very good opportunity for representatives around the world and generated good dialogue at the conference. Such an occasion provided a chance for Amb. Yang to met the Former President of Kosovo, the former Ambassador of Belgium to Kuwait, the current Minister of Interior in Suriname and the current First Lady of Kenya. Thus, it is indeed very significance and deeply inspired him to think that a NGO could provides such a platform, creating such a good opportunities for exchanging views, promoting mutual understanding and respect through dialog, ensuing with care and assistance for one another. Such an event could help to avoid national conflict, and pursuing world peace a step forward.
Ms. Lily Lin had participated the 55th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) of UN and shared her presentation in the forum. Being the President of the National Alliance of Taiwan Women's Association, She was invited by WFWPI to give presentation on Taiwan's practice of "Improving Education for Women and Girls in Science and Technology" in the side event of the 55th CSW of UN. She shared about the result on how Taiwan promotes the women status related with the eight MDGs targets. She also shared Taiwan Women's Association's Programs on introduction more girls to the science careers and on narrowing women's digital divide. Ms. Lily Lin stressed that in the age of globalization, Women of Taiwan need to know women of other part of the world and the successful experience of Taiwan's women also can be shared with women from the international world. In the luncheon gathering, one of the delegates spoke out for Taiwan and mentioned that Taiwan indeed had done a great job which could be shared among one another. Such a call from a non Taiwanese is indeed very moving and gratifying. Together with Dr. Lan Yong Moon, the President of WFWPI and Ms. Alexa Ward, the former president of WFWP-USA, Ms. Lily also had a precious opportunity to meet with the Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet, the highest official on women's affairs of the United Nations.
At the closing session of the Forum, the Ambassador of Nicaragua spoke in Mandarin testified that he was one of the recipients of a Taiwan scholarship while studying at the National Taiwan University during 1963. Now, he becomes the Ambassador of Nicaragua to the Republic of China and testified in this forum is far more significant. The Ambassador of the Republic of Nauru also gave thanks to the contribution invested by the Republic of China especially ICDF and the effort of UPF in investing tremendous effort for world peace. Many participants asked questions and actively participated in the forum. Ambassador Tai summarized that whether being a member of United Nations should not be the priority in our development, but the Republic of China should continue to develop her strengths and capability to offer to world, and become a nation respected by others.
The forum was concluded with an Ambassador for Peace Award ceremony to the ambassadors of Nicaragua and of Sao Tome and Principe. They had their pictures taken with the other two ambassadors, who were already UPF Ambassadors for Peace.