Belize-Taiwan Scholarships Empower 64 Students

Belize and Taiwan continue to deepen their educational partnership as sixty-four Belizean students have been awarded scholarships to study in Taiwan. This annual scholarship program, running for more than two decades, has now supported over seven hundred Belizean students. The orientation ceremony brought together government officials, scholarship alumni, and proud families to celebrate this important milestone. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing youth development and cultural exchange. These scholarships are bridges to stronger international ties and Belize’s future growth. Here’s Tanya Arceo with that story.

 

Tanya Arceo, Reporting

This year’s sixty-four scholarship recipients join a growing community of Belizeans who have pursued higher education in Taiwan and returned to make significant contributions across multiple sectors. Ministers Francis Fonseca and Oscar Requena reminded students that they are not just learners, but ambassadors of Belize, carrying the nation’s values abroad. With programs spanning more than twenty universities and over thirty fields of study, these young scholars have a wide range of paths to shape their futures.

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Education

“Represent us well! You are our ambassadors, make use of that opportunity, learn about the Taiwanese culture, their experiences, and be able to return back home to put to good use that knowledge, the skill , the attitudes and values that you’re going to be learning so my friends I thank each and every one of you to the students may your journey be bright may your goals be high and may the impact be lasting I congratulate you God Bless you  together we continue to build a better nation for all!”

 

Ambassador Lily Li-Wen Hsu offered inspiring remarks, highlighting the scholarship program as a vital link between Belize and Taiwan. Her message stressed education as a foundation for growth and the importance of fostering mutual understanding through youth exchange.

 

Tanya Arceo

“From your perspective how do you see Taiwan – Belize educational corporation evolving in the next five or ten years?”

 

Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwanese Ambassador

“Wow! This is a very big question, well from my experience I think such kind of people to people connection is the foundation for our bilateral relations and because the field was offered to Belizean students who study in Taiwan so vast is diversified and it is very much related to the development of Belize and I always consider these young ambassadors can be the connection between the two countries. But its not just help to further the development of the country it will also further the bilateral corporation between our two countries.”

 

Amir Miranda is one of the proud recipients preparing to study abroad in Taiwan. He is from Dangriga and shared his excitement about learning the language and adapting to the culture, emphasizing how important it is to fully immerse himself in the experience.

 

Amir Alexander Miranda, MOFO Scholarship Recipient

“Well, academically what I really like about Taiwan is the academic rigor that they have there, they’re very intense when it comes to their education, where as to other countries, I am studying engineering for instance they typically take like five years to do a degree elsewhere like in England, but in Taiwan they take four years and i am very excited for that and culturally I am really excited to see how they do the food there and different types of religious practices they have”

 

Another scholarship awardee from Belmopan will pursue Civil Engineering, eager to acquire the skills necessary to help develop Belize’s infrastructure and communities.

 

Elva Cristal Arenivar, MOFO Scholarship Recipient

“I feel grateful and right now really nervous”

 

Tanya Arceo

“what are you studying?”

 

Elva Cristal Arenivar

“Civil Engineering”

 

Elva Cristal Arenivar

“We had our first class in the month of July for Mandarin course so they are already starting to prepare us so we know the basics so when we get there we know certain things and I am using an app to learn more Mandarin as well. ”

 

As these students get ready to start their studies, Minister Fonseca reminded them that Belize’s Ambassador-Designate to Taiwan, Katherine Meighan, was once in their shoes. Her journey proves that with hard work, they too can achieve great things. And with support from both Belize and Taiwan, they’re not just chasing personal goals, they’re carrying the hopes of a nation. I am Tanya Arceo for News Five.