Taiwan trains young foreign language guides to promote fishing village culture internationally

Taiwan's Ministry of Education is fostering international cultural exchange through its "Youth Travel Attraction - International Youth Innovation Plan." The program's Donggang site in Pingtung County focuses on the unique aspects of its harbor, faith, cuisine, and fishing village culture.

Young individuals are being trained as multilingual tour guides to lead international youth through Donggang, Linbian, and Xiaoliuqiu. These experiences aim to deepen understanding of local culture and daily life, empowering young people to introduce Taiwan to the world and improving the region's capacity to host international visitors.

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The Youth Development Administration is currently collaborating with non-profit organizations and universities to establish 100 major youth travel sites across Taiwan, hoping to encourage young people aged 15 to 35 to explore local areas, understand Taiwan's diverse culture, and let more local stories be seen by the world.

The Donggang site has developed participatory experiences such as catching sand crabs, making fishing line chairs, sunset banquets, and preparing traditional rice soup. Through Chinese-language tours, foreign language guiding techniques, and practical exercises, guides learn to present fishing village life, temples, natural ecology, and religious customs in ways that international travelers can easily grasp.

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Donggang's Wangchuan faith and fishing village food culture left a deep impression on me. I experienced incense offerings, used divination blocks to ask questions, and personally made the traditional dish 'rice soup.' Through religious rituals and food culture, I understood the lifestyle of fishing port residents and gained a deeper understanding of Taiwanese folk beliefs and local culture.

One participant, Girish Ningappa Mathad from India, found the Wangchuan (royal boat) faith and fishing village cuisine particularly memorable. He participated in religious rituals and made traditional "rice soup," gaining a deeper understanding of local life and Taiwanese folk beliefs.

The program transforms local youth from participants into guides and international youth from travelers into experiencers, facilitating genuine cultural interaction and exchange.

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The Donggang Youth Travel Site allows local youth to become guides from participants, and international youth to become experiencers from travelers. Through real-world interaction with the local area, a deeper cultural exchange is established.