The Taiwanese volunteers with some of the other European volunteers

The Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative was launched by the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration (YDA) at the beginning of 2025. It has a budget of NTD $10 billion over four years to support young people aged 15 to 30 to broaden their horizons abroad and pursue opportunities on the international stage.

Taiwan and Poland are two societies shaped by resilience and shared democratic values with growing ties between them. This is reflected in Taiwan’s YDA and Poland’s Centre for Youth Cooperation and Mobility signing a cooperation agreement to promote educational and cultural exchanges grounded in mutual understanding. The YDA recently expanded its Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative with a new international volunteer project in Gdynia in northern Poland, providing the Taiwanese participants with further opportunities to engage in cultural exchanges.

Three Taiwanese volunteers—Lisa Tseng, Yvonne Liu, and Yvette Yang—took part in a European Solidarity Corps project in Gdynia, from November 9 to December 12, 2025. They were welcomed to Poland by Jeff Liu 劉永健, Taiwan's Representative in Poland, and Suzen Tseng, the Director of the Education Division at the Taipei Representative Office in Poland. In Gdynia, the volunteers all worked with the St. Nicolaus Bishop Association, supporting educators working with children and young people. The volunteers collaborated closely with other European volunteers throughout the program, gaining meaningful experience in international service and cultural diplomacy, and showcasing Taiwan’s spirit of openness.

One of the highlights for Lisa, Yvonne, and Yvette was their holding lively Taiwan Workshops in local schools that created a vibrant “Taiwan wind” in the community. They introduced Taiwan’s culture and history and played traditional night-market games such as Asian dart kick with the Polish students. They also shared some authentic Taiwanese bubble tea.

YDA continues to be committed to empowering young people to engage globally, promote mutual understanding, and contribute to Taiwan’s international presence through volunteering.