The Macau Youth Federation (MYF) announced in a press conference Sunday that registration is now open for those wishing to take part in its seventh annual programme to boost their political awareness.
MYF President Amy Chan Sao Chai said her association would accept 100 applicants aged 18 to 39.
She said the programme would include workshops and seminars by lawmakers and professors from the mainland and Taiwan, with topics ranging from local politics, cross-strait relations and the “One Country, Two Systems” principle.
She said the programme included trips to Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and Taiwan, where students will have exchanges with the youth wings of political parties, adding it also includes a trip to Beijing where students will visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chan said the objective of the programme was to increase participants’ awareness of political affairs.
“For example, when we visit Taiwan we’ll visit the youth wings of not only the Kuomintang but also the Democratic Progressive Party. I think this is a good way to interact with youths there,” said Chan.
Chan said the programme aimed to give students a better understanding of local politics as well asnation’s state affairs. Chan said that each year her organisation receives over 130 applicants for the programme. She said they will start interviewing potential candidates next month, where they are categorised into groups and an examiner will evaluate their leadership skills and choose the right applicants.
Chan said the application fee for the programme is 500 patacas for MYF members and 600 patacas for non-members, adding her organisation has received funding from the Macau Foundation (FM) and the Office of the Secretary of Social Affairs and Culture for the programme Chan said she worried that the funding might be reduced so that students may need to pay for the trips to the mainland and Taiwan themselves.
Nonetheless, Chan said that students who complete 80 percent of the programme will have their application fees refunded.(macaunews/macaupost)
