Opening remarks at the sixth NGO Leaders Forum

Opening remarks at the sixth NGO Leaders Forum

• Data Source：Department of NGO International Affairs
• Date：2026-01-07

Dr. Lin Chia-lung

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of China (Taiwan)

January 7, 2026

(As Prepared for Delivery)

President Marco Chiesara and Director Stefania Piccinelli of WeWorld;

NGO leaders;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen:

Good morning!

On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), it is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the sixth NGO Leaders Forum. This is the first major event to be held by MOFA in 2026. As we start a new year, now is an important opportunity for us to gather-to review the achievements of government-NGO collaboration, jointly consider how we can further deepen public-private cooperation, and continue to strengthen Taiwan's overall diplomatic capacity.

Under President Lai Ching-te's policies, we are promoting values-based diplomacy and working toward a vision of Taiwan as a thriving global economic powerhouse. MOFA is striving to bring Taiwan closer to the world and allow the international community to engage more with Taiwan. I have sought to support this objective by integrating the concepts of values-based diplomacy, economic diplomacy, and alliance diplomacy into a comprehensive strategy I call integrated diplomacy. The three pillars of integrated diplomacy do not operate independently; rather, they serve to reinforce one another.

Through its promotion of NGO diplomacy, Taiwan translates values-based diplomacy-with its focus on democracy, freedom, and human rights-into visible, credible, and concrete cooperative initiatives. These efforts take shape as Taiwan solutions that can be implemented and trusted by partners. In this way, Taiwan demonstrates how meaningful participation can make the world a better place, advancing value-added diplomacy that delivers real benefits to the international community.

Under this framework of integrated diplomacy, the role of NGOs is also evolving. NGOs are now more than participants in policy initiatives; they have become essential partners who codesign, coimplement, and jointly expand Taiwan's international influence.

Last September, for example, I traveled to Warsaw to witness the signing of an MOU between the Taipei Representative Office in Poland and the Kyiv City Department of Children and Family Services. Since Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the devastation of war has had a severe impact on children and families, prompting President Lai to make care for Ukrainian children one of Taiwan's key humanitarian priorities.

The MOU heralded the launch of an integrated support program for vulnerable children in the Kyiv region. Under MOFA's active coordination, the initiative has successfully brought together the Kyiv City authorities, the Italy-based international NGO WeWorld, and the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, transforming Taiwan's values into concrete and sustained international action.

In fact, the program has been more than successful; it has proven to be a model case of public-private cooperation. It has shown that by integrating the expertise of NGOs, INGOs, and foreign governments, Taiwan can build platforms for international cooperation, accumulate trust, and consolidate its indispensable role as a responsible member of global civil society.

As a result, this year, we are delighted to welcome WeWorld President Chiesara and Director Piccinelli as guests of honor. Mr. Chiesara will use this morning's keynote presentation to discuss their experience of working with Taiwan to advance the worthwhile goal of supporting vulnerable children in crisis-affected countries like Ukraine.

The agenda of this year's forum also reflects the continued deepening of integrated diplomacy in practice. In particular, an inaugural session on economic diplomacy will see major domestic industrial and trade organizations engage in dialogue with NGO partners. This arrangement aims to allow different professional sectors to better complement one another-combining industrial experience, social trust, and international networks to further enhance Taiwan's overall diplomatic strength.

In the values-based diplomacy session, organizations with extensive experience in international cooperation and humanitarian assistance will share how Taiwan contributes to the world through tangible accomplishments. And in the alliance diplomacy session, discussions will focus on defense and digital resilience, exploring how civil society and government can work together to strengthen national resilience. Together, these discussions remind us that diplomacy is about long-term commitment, sustained dialogue, and partnership that can provide mutual support at critical moments.

Over the past year, MOFA's cooperation with domestic and international NGOs has continued to show that Taiwan has an important role to play as a platform, an enabler of cooperation, and a trusted partner in international society. That is why, as even more INGOs choose to deepen cooperation with Taiwan and establish a presence here, MOFA is planning to launch a Taiwan INGO Center in Taipei. We believe that Taiwan can serve as a crucial hub for INGO activities throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

No matter how ambitious our vision for integrated diplomacy may be, its successful implementation will ultimately depend on close public-private cooperation. Diplomacy has never been the work of government alone. Taiwan's civil society is abundant in resources, and its NGOs are vibrant and dynamic, with a venerable record of engagement and professionalism in international affairs. They are an indispensable force in connecting Taiwan with the world.

Strong and stable partnerships between the public and private sectors not only contribute to the advancement of democracy, peace, and prosperity but also help expand Taiwan's international influence.

With this in mind, I look forward to today's exchanges and to your valuable insights, which will help make collaboration between government and civil society even more effective. Let us ensure that "everyone is a diplomat" is not merely a slogan but a steady practice through which we can jointly strengthen the overall influence of Taiwan's integrated diplomacy.

In closing, I thank you all once again for joining us today. I wish this forum every success, and I wish all of you good health and a prosperous year ahead. Thank you!