The American Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch Office (AIT/K) and the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) are co-sponsoring the Ocean Challenge 2020 focused on challenges confronting oceans worldwide. Today (Dec. 16), OAC cooperated with AIT/K to hold dialogue with high school Students and the Environment Month Event in AIT at 40 celebration, which got youth in Taiwan involved in solving our marine environment challenges and finding out solutions to the pressing ocean problems around the globe.
The participants are the students of 8 finalist teams of Ocean Challenge 2020 from joint team of Kaohsiung Senior High School & Tso-Ying Senior High School, Yu-Jen Senior High School Taitung, Taichung Girls’ Senior High School, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu Science Park, National Ping Tung Industrial Vocational High School, Morrison Academy Kaohsiung, International Bilingual School at Tainan Science Park, and Kaohsiung American School. They shared the submitted ideas on topics including discarded fishing net management, marine debris, ocean pollution prevention and ocean plastic waste reduction.
The Dialogue specially invited officers in OAC and OCA (Ocean Conservation Administration) to share their work experiences in marine affairs with students. One officer shared the journey of the career switch from a flight attendant to a coast guard detective against smuggle and illicit drug. Another shared experiences as a coast guard cutter coxswain who conducted rescues to urgently injured people in the outlying islands, and boarded vessels and checked illegal shipments and caught stowaways, as well as seized frequent illegal cross-border foreign fishing boats. The other one shared various roles as a representative of OCA at international conferences, an editor on OCA Facebook fan page and magazines, an event moderator, a lecturer, a picture book author, a coral investigator, whale/dolphin observer, an emergency rescue personnel to rescue cetaceans, sea turtles, and an investigator investigating the causes of death of wild animals, etc. Diversified work roles gave opportunities to enrich their lives. Through the officers’ sharing, students had more understanding about ocean affairs.
Deputy Minister of OAC, Tsai, Ching-Piao said, OAC is an organization of the Executive Yuan, which was established last year. It is enthusiastic and energetic as the students on site. OAC cooperated with AIT/K to encourage the youth to care about ocean affairs. People all over the world can do ocean conservation together. We should continue respecting nature, conserving of the marine environment and supporting sustainable development in the future. The 8 finalist teams have been invited to the ocean challenge 2020 held on March 4 at Brogent Technologies, Inc., where students will present their proposals to a panel of experts. The judges will select the top three winners who will win cash prizes and certificates as well as a free i-Ride on Brogent's “Fly Over Kaohsiung” attraction. If you are interested in attending the Forum, please register online in February 2020.
OAC Minister Lee Chung-Wei hopes that OAC is committed to protecting the rights and interests of the oceans, strengthening law enforcement in the waters, caring the marine environment, developing marine industries, and promoting marine scientific research. In terms of strengthening marine education, we will continue deepening the concepts of being close to the sea, loving the sea, and knowing the sea. Oceans have no borders. All countries concerns the ocean and must deal with together. In the future, OAC will continue to keep Taiwan-US relationship, protect the ocean, and work together for the sustainable development of the ocean.
Media Liaison： Laura Lin, International Development Department, OAC, Cell phone #0933-648-689
