Formosa Foundation

The 2010 Ambassador Program successfully concluded in Washington D.C. on June 25, where 26 students from across the globe learned the art of public diplomacy and how to operate as an insider, inside the beltway. They also held 164 meetings with members of the House and Senate, advocating for stronger U.S.-Taiwan relations.

The Ambassadors Program combines both advocacy and education, bringing supporters of democracy and human rights into direct contact with not only experts who understand the issues, but also with elected leaders in Congress who create policies affecting U.S.-Taiwan relations. The Program offers participants– Ambassadors–an opportunity to develop the grassroots activism and campaign skills necessary to further cultivate their leadership potential. The Ambassador Program combines rigorous in-house training with on-the-ground experience. Over the course of the intense two-week period, Ambassadors analyzed the nuances of U.S. foreign policy creation, learn valuable knowledge directly from seasoned professionals in the field, and gained the tools necessary to engage in advocacy work on Capitol Hill and beyond.

During the first week, Ambassadors met with U.S. officials, scholars and policy experts. The speakers included officials from the National Security Council and the State Department, as well as the Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, Barbara Schrage; former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Randall Shriver; Congressional Research Service policy analyst Shirley Kan; and U.S.-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond Chambers. The participants also met many other notable scholars and experts, including Richard Bush, Brookings Institution; Daniel Blumenthal, American Enterprise Institute and the U.S.-China Security and Economic Review Commission; Louisa Greve, the National Endowment for Democracy; Tamara Luzzatto, Pew Charitable Trusts; Sarah Cook, Freedom House; Laura Quinn, Catalist; Lane Bailey, Golin Harris; Stephan Yates, DC Asia Advisors; and June Teufel Dryer, University of Miami.

The 2010 class Ambassadors spent their second week meeting with 116 House of Representatives and 48 Senators and/or their staff. During each meeting they addressed the importance of promoting closer ties between the United States and Taiwan. (Visitation List) The Ambassadors urged lawmakers to support arms sales to Taiwan, including F-16 jets, the resumption of TIFA talks (Trade and Investment Framework Agreement) between Taiwan and U.S., absent of a Free Trade Agreement, and Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization.

“Although the fruits of our work will not likely be instantly visible, I believe we will continue with this role beyond these 2 weeks--to promote democracy, human rights and improve the relationship between US and Taiwan,” said Lily Wang, a medical doctor from Australiawho will begin fellowship at Harvard Medical School. “The conclusion of the 2 week program is only the beginning, not the end.”

In addition, the 2010 class of Ambassadors helped the Formosa Foundation hand-deliver 535 DVD copies of the movie, FORMOSA BETRAYED, to each House and Senate office. Released in 2010, FORMOSA BETRAYED is an American film inspired by actual events about a brutal murder investigation of a Taiwanese-American professor on U.S. soil. It probes the issues of justice and democracy during the White Terror violence in Taiwan. The Formosa Foundation views the movie as a useful tool and platform to expand discussion and change attitudes about the One-China policy and gaining recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign nation. (See report by Taipei Times.)