Date:2013-08-01
Minister Chiang and youth volunteers promote environmental protection and energy saving on Global Youth Service Day.
April 26 to 28, 2013 are designated as Global Youth Service Day (GYSD). To promote voluntary service with the youths around the world, Youth Development Administration of Ministry of Education held a focus activity on April 26. The team, which had won the first place in the Environment Services category during 2012 Youth Volunteer Competition under the lead of Dr. Lee Chun-Yao from ChungYuan Christian University, was invited to conduct energy saving test at Da-Tung Children’s Home of Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, and made recommendations for improvements to help save energy and energy cost. Minister of Education, Chiang Wei-Ling, was also present at the event to encourage and express gratitude for the youth volunteers. He demonstrated how to save energy with the youth volunteers, and promoted the concepts of and approaches for environmental protection and energy saving, and called for more youths to volunteer.
Since 2001, Taiwan has been celebrating GYSD with more than 100 countries around the world. With “Environmental Protection and Energy Saving” being the theme for the 2013 GYSD for volunteer services in Taiwan, Youth Development Administration collaborated with Chung Yuan Christian University and provided energy testing and consultation for 7 social welfare organizations in northern Taiwan.
At the event, Minister Chiang joined the volunteers from Chung Yuan Christian University and demonstrated energy saving tips for using daily appliances such as the drinking fountain, air conditioner and computer. He said that “energy saving” takes action. It not only reduces carbon emissions, it can also mitigate the effects of climate changes. Carbon emissions in Taiwan are three times higher than the world average. Hopefully, youth volunteers may work together from every corner of the society to promote the mission of protecting the environment, Taiwan as well as the resources on earth.
Minister Chiang expressed that he felt extremely moved from seeing how the youth volunteers passionately dedicated their time, energy and expertise after class into identifying local needs and devoted themselves to the volunteer services with their creativity and soft power. It exemplified their passion for the land, which was extremely moving. Minister Chiang also thanked Da-Tung Children’s Home for providing the youth with the opportunity to serve, which helped them to grow from the experience. He also expressed his sincere gratitude for all youth volunteer groups in Taiwan. He hoped to gather more positive energy and values that would root the volunteering spirit deep in the hearts of people in Taiwan.
In addition, to help Da-Tung Children’s Home to save more energy, Ministry of Education called for donations of mechanical timer switch, switch sockets or switch extension cords, refrigerator, electric fans, heat-pump water heater, and photovoltaic or solar heating devices to help the children’s home protect the environment and save more energy.