Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) Six university and graduate school students, winners of a blogging competition organized by the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), will leave for Guatemala for a week-long tour to experience first-hand Taiwan's international cooperation program, ICDF announced Thursday.
Two groups of three students each will visit Guatemala from Sept. 22-30 to participate in Taiwan's cooperative programs -- which includes, among other things, growing papayas -- and write about their daily experience in their blogs, said Chou Yen-shih, ICDF's Director of Policy and Planning Department.
"Taiwan was aided by other countries during the 1950s to 1960s, and now is the time for Taiwan to make a contribution to the international community, especially to developing countries, " said Hsu Jen-he, a political major at National Chung Cheng University.
Hsu said he and his mates will go to Guatemala with "L.O.V.E." in mind -- learning, organization, volunteering and education. They will try to watch, learn and absorb every detail of an international cooperative program and help promote Taiwan's image.
The week-long program, which is being held for the first time, aims at promoting Taiwanese citizens' understanding of international cooperation and development, and encouraging the participation of the younger generation, Chou said.
The Taiwan ICDF's purpose is to strengthen international cooperation and enhance foreign relations by promoting economic development, social progress and the welfare of the people of partner nations around the world. It is now the principal body overseeing Taiwan's cooperative overseas development programs.