A tradition of upholding human rights has taken root throughout Asia and beyond. In Taiwan, at this month’s 3rd Annual Asia Youth Summit sponsored by Youth for Human Rights International, young people discussed future plans in panel discussions, workshops and presentations by fellow youth delegates. Youth for Human Rights International is a California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to human rights education, supported by the Church of Scientology.

 

To create the level of impact required to generate meaningful human rights reforms, education is the key. This is the philosophy of Youth for Human Rights Taiwan and its parent organization Youth for Human Rights International, which together held their 3rd Annual Youth Summit in Nantou, Taiwan.

For the second consecutive year, the program was hosted by Hotel le Midi in Nantou. Sponsored by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the summit brought together youth delegates from Albania, Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the United States, giving them the opportunity to learn from leading human rights advocates in the public and private sectors.

The distinguished guests participating in a human rights panel discussion included representatives from the Nantou Ministry of Education, the Taiwan Ministry of Education, and the Taiwan Ministry of Justice.

Those participating in the summit included human rights activists, school principals, teachers, and current and former members of the departments of correction and education—some 250 attendees in all. Delegates took up their work to resolve key human rights issues, including how best to improve literacy and decrease bullying, safeguard victims of political repression, and forge meaningful progress in the battle to halt and criminalize the exploitation and abuse of women and children.

Those at the summit also attended a series of workshops designed to hone their communication skills as well as their ability to deliver lectures and the most effective methods to establish chapters and coordinate the work of volunteers.