Taipei City Government

Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the 2019 Taiwan - Israel Teens Encounter in Taipei – Technology and Innovation on June 17.

During his speech, he commented that Taipei City Government delegates were invited by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit the country in February earlier this year. After stopping by several important cities in Israel, both parties decided to increase international exchanges between the 2 countries. In light of this, the Tel Aviv delegates recently visited Taipei City to observe the city government’s progress in smart education, international education, and maker education. It is hoped that the exchange will also foster a closer bond between Taiwan and Israel, while the interaction between international youths and students will transform Taipei into a more internationalized and renowned metropolis.

According to Ko, he is glad to welcome delegates from Tel Aviv. Consisting of 3 teachers and 21 students, the entourage observed Taipei City’s accomplishments in areas such as smart education, international education, and maker education. He also thanked Taipei Municipal Renai Junior High School for acting as the hosting school. This morning, he noticed that the curriculum involved disciplines including robotics, AR/VR technology, and laser engraver, and students from Renai interacted and shared their experiences with the Israeli students.

He emphasized that the overall success of the visit is attributed to the International Affairs Division of city hall, the Department of Education (DOE), the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv, and last but not least the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo’s cooperation. The mayor also expressed his gratitude to Taipei Municipal Zhong-Lun High School for receiving the Israeli guests at the airport as well as for arranging their dining and accommodation-related affairs. In the future, Taipei City will also dispatch teachers and students to Israel in order to conduct bilateral exchanges. It is hoped that the substantial international interaction between Taiwan and Israel will help to foster a closer relationship between the 2 nations.

Mayor Ko remarked that more than 14,000 Japanese students have visited Taiwan for their graduation tour in 2018, and he has instructed Education Commissioner Tseng Tsan-chin to expand the interaction and exchange between youths and students in Taipei City and other countries, so as to reshape Taipei into a more internationalized and notable metropolis. Visitors from Tel Aviv marked the beginning of Taipei’s endeavors in attaining these goals, and the City Government will strive to maintain the positive momentum.