Lin Chia-lung (fourth right) and Kailash Satyarthi (fourth left)/Photo courtesy of CNA
Taipei, Oct. 12 (CNA) Indian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Friday praised Taiwan for its altruism, commending young Taiwanese for their unselfish concern for others and devotion to volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.
Speaking in a meeting with Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung, Satyarthi said he has worked with many young Taiwanese volunteers in the past through his foundation that addresses the special needs of victims of child labor.
His foundation, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), or Save the Childhood Movement, is an India-based organization that campaigns for the rights of children. As a result of his work, Satyarthi was selected along with Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai as winners of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
Many young Taiwanese he encountered have exhibited enthusiasm and were more than willing to spend a month in India to help him promote children's rights and education, he told the Taichung mayor.
He went on to applaud the city for setting initiatives aimed at engaging and empowering younger generations to make positive change, such as the establishment of the International Non-governmental Organization (INGO) Center in Taichung.
The INGO is part of the city's effort to help turn Taichung into an NGO exchange platform, where people from various nongovernmental organizations around the world can interact with each other and exchange opinions on human rights promotion, children's welfare and education.
Lin, meanwhile, praised Satyarthi as a shining example for Taiwan to follow, saying the country has a lot to learn from him, and that he hopes the city can work with him to fight against the oppression of children and to ensure their right to education.
The Taichung mayor again extended his welcome to Satyarthi, saying he sincerely invites the Nobel Peace Prize laureate to become INGO center's international advisor.
Satyarthi arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for his second visit; he first visited in 2015.
