From 25th to 28th January 2014, a special delegation of Taiwanese Teen Diplomatic Envoys visited Ireland. This delegation consisted of 12 high school students, accompanied by teachers as well as by officials from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). These students were winners of a national contest spanning 134 participating schools and the visit to Ireland was the final leg of their prize - a 10 day trip to London, Edinburgh and Dublin allowing them an opportunity to represent Taiwan’s younger generation through person-to-person diplomacy.
During their 4 days in Dublin, the delegation enjoyed a busy schedule. They had the opportunity to exchange views with their peers, call on various state agencies and bodies, and visit well known cultural sites and academic institutions. Perhaps most notably, the group visited the Irish parliament, Dublin City Council, renowned school St. Andrews and Ireland’s most prestigious university Trinity College Dublin.
By virtue of the timing of their visit, however, the teen envoys also had the chance to participate at the Dublin Holiday World Show 2014 which was taking place at the RDS. On Sunday 26th January, at around 4pm, the group visited the Taipei Representative Office’s display booth to lend their assistance. They quickly made a big impression, interacting with visitors and doing their part to promote and create interest in Taiwan. By spontaneously delivering a performance of Taiwanese song and dance, the students lit up the afternoon and attracted a lot of attention from all around the venue. Through their energy and good nature that the students made a real connection with the audience and Representative Harry Tseng thanked them for their valuable contribution.
The following day, Monday 27th January 2014, the teen envoys called at the well known St. Andrew’s College where they spent the whole morning. When they arrived, they enjoyed a reception with the school’s headmaster Mr. Peter Fraser who took time out of his own busy schedule to welcome them. He was joined by some teachers and selected students. Mr. Fraser explained to the delegates that one-quarter of all pupils at St. Andrews are children of diplomats or overseas students. As a result, the school is a multicultural environment and considers international exchange very important. Deputy Principal Rob Micallef then took the opportunity to introduce the visitors to the school’s Model United Nations (MUN). The Taiwanese delegates were very impressed to learn that about 1,000 students from all over the world gather at St. Andrews for four days each year. Deputy Principal Micallef said that Taiwanese students would be very welcome to join their MUN and invited the schools to come and participate in the future.
Afterwards the students were divided into groups in order to allow them to sit in on classes and observe proceedings. The Taiwanese students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with their Irish peers while their participation in classes allowed them to really get a sense of the nature of the education system here in Ireland and how teaching is conducted here. All in all, it was a very fruitful experience for them.
Following on from the visit to St. Andrews, the teen delegates paid a visit to Leinster House, home of Ireland’s parliament. There they enjoyed a 40 minute tour, learning about its history from an experienced guide. At 12.30pm the group were given a special honour - meeting with Deputies Peter Mathews, Terence Flanagan and Catherine Noone, whom Ambassador Tseng had invited to join the group for lunch. The party was split into three and with each group went a politician. This provided an excellent opportunity for some really intimate and in-depth discussion. Lots of intelligent questions were asked about the workings of parliament and various political issues. All three of the TDs told Representative Tseng that they were very impressed with the students’ remarkable English language proficiency, sophistication and awareness.
On the afternoon of the 27th January 2014, the delegation visited the historic Trinity College Dublin. This was very exciting for the Taiwanese youths, many of whom were aware of the distinguished alumni to have passed through its halls. The group were received by Sinead Ryan, Head of the International Office, and Susan Phillips, Regional Officer. They were briefed on the University and this led into a sort of Q&A session. The envoys were keen to learn as much as possible and the lively discussion that soon overran its allotted time. During the visit, the group learned that Trinity’s Vice Provost Jane Ohlmeyer would be leading a delegation to Asia in March and that their itinerary would include Taiwan. This prompted the various groups of students to eagerly extend invitations for her to call upon their schools.
On their final day in Dublin, the delegation enjoyed a leisurely visit to City Hall and to Dublin Castle, a nice way to round off their trip after visiting Newgrange and Trim Castle on their first day here.
The visiting students ultimately returned to Taiwan, but with their minds opened and curiosities peaked by their time in Ireland. Owing to the quality of their visits they learned a lot in a short period of time. There is no doubt the experience will have enriched their understanding of Ireland. Representative Harry Tseng has always expressed his belief that it is through our young persons that the most effective bridges can be built. He concluded that the visit to the teen diplomatic envoys was very successful and helped to raise awareness of Taiwan in Ireland. More importantly, though, Representative Tseng believes that the participants will fondly recall their interactions with each other and will now carry forward the seeds of closer bilateral relations and friendship into the future.
The Teen Diplomatic Envoys program has been sponsored by MOFA and MOE since 2002 and has proved a very successful initiative. Its goal is simple: to encourage young people to learn about international affairs, to promote international cultural exchange, and to build bridges for the future. Now in its 12th year of operation, the programme continues to go from strength to strength. During that time, some 32 High Schools have joined in with 128 students having travelled under it. The 2014 delegation was comprised of students from Taipei Municipal Jianguo Senior High School, Taipei Fuhsing Private School and Tainan’s Deguang Catholic High School.
The teen diplomatic envoys have done a wonderful job in promoting Taiwan and encouraging friendship and goodwill wherever they have gone. They sow the seeds of friendship and diplomacy whilst also enjoying their own personal development, see their international vision expanded and helping to accelerate the globalisation of Taiwan.
The Taipei Representative Office in Ireland looks forward to the continued success of the programme and thanks all of those involved for their courtesy in receiving the delegates.
