MOFA youth ambassador program to recruit drone operators for first time

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Taiwan's government-funded youth ambassadorship program will, for the first time, recruit unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators to promote what officials call "drone diplomacy," a project official said Tuesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)-funded International Youth Ambassadors program selects Taiwanese students aged 18 to 35 to visit diplomatic allies for exchanges and cultural promotion. The program was launched in 2009.

Chiang Zhen-wei (江振瑋), head of MOFA's Department of NGO International Affairs, said the ministry will recruit five drone operators this year alongside participants with strong English skills or talents in the performing arts.

The move aims to showcase Taiwan's "achievements in digital transformation and smart technology" and demonstrate its contributions to the international community, Chiang said.

MOFA plans to recruit 50 students in total, who will be divided into two groups: one traveling to Palau, and the other to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Kitts and Nevis from late August to early September.

During the visits, the ambassadors will engage with local officials and youth, perform, and promote Taiwan's culture, Chiang said.

Applications are open until May 15 via the program's Chinese-language website.

More than 1,900 Taiwanese students have taken part in the program since 2009, according to MOFA.