The 2012 Staff Exchange Program between the Control Yuan and Latin American Ombudsman/Human Rights Offices was held from August 13 to August 15. The program helped participants to deepen their friendship and mutual understanding.
Since 2004, the Control Yuan has held four similar exchange programs with its Latin American partners. The first program to include Asian-Pacific countries was held earlier this year in May. This time, five participants from the following four countries took part: Panama, Salvador, Nicaragua and Columbia.
In the opening ceremony, Control Yuan Vice President Dr. Chen Chin-li and Dr. Louis Chao, Control Yuan member and chairperson of the International Affairs Committee, welcomed the participants. Later, Control Yuan member Dr. Ger Yeoung-Kuang spoke about the Republic of China's five-power system. During the three-day program, participants learned about the Control Yuan's different departments and their functions. They also toured the National Audit Office and Complaints Receipt Center and attended a Yuan plenary meeting. These experiences provided them with a clearer and more accurate understanding of what the Control Yuan does.
On the final day, participants took part in the Control Yuan's biannual staff birthday celebration and sang "Ode to Joy" and "Happy birthday" in Spanish to greet the audience. They also had the opportunity to witness the parent-child foot-bath activity and appreciate its significance. In the closing ceremony, participants reflected on what they had learned during the program with Control Yuan members Louis Chao and Li Bing-Nanan and MOFA Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Chief Mr. Wu Chin-Mu. Impressed by the Control Yuan's substantial powers, participants said they would share what they had learned with their colleagues after returning home. They thanked the Control Yuan for organizing the program, and Ms. Torrero of Panama expressed her deep gratitude by singing a song. Her moving and lovely voice brought the program to a close.