Vice President Annette Lu on October 1 attended the inauguration of the chairman of the Taiwan District of Kiwanis International and spoke at the event.
The vice president applauded the Taiwan District of Kiwanis International as the "conscience of the society and the pride of Taiwan" and praised the theme this year "Together We Can," saying that standing united can achieve many. She also spoke favorably about this year's mottos set by the Taiwan district as they echo the vice president's aspiration to create a society that is true, kind, beautiful, respects the Nature and has love for people.
Vice President Lu said that a lot of spotlight has been focused recently on issues concerning children as they are the future of a society. If children grow up receiving sufficient care materially, spiritually, emotionally and with good opportunities to gain knowledge they become sound and healthy after they enter the adulthood. They become otherwise, however, if they fail to obtain proper care, and the society's future will suffer as a result. The vice president stressed the importance of taking good care of children for the sake of the country's sustainable development, and noted this is why the Kiwanis International has set its focal point on child raising as its theme for 2005 and 2006.
The vice president mentioned that she had founded the "sunshine scholarship" in the hopes of helping children in poverty to continue with their education. She owed her special thanks to the Taiwan District Kiwanis International for its sponsorship for this cause. The Taiwan branch paid the tuition fees for thousands of school children who fall short of funding to receive education. Apart from that, she pointed out the emergence of the "new poverty family," most of which is formed by single parents who suffer from the lack of a stable job. Poverty could become heredity, if their children are unable to receive sufficient care. In the end, it is the country and the society that suffer the most, said the vice president, so it is vital that every child be entitled the right to education.
The vice president said it needs the confidence, love and conscience of the people for a society to become fair and justice. The society will also become a better place, if everyone behaves with conscience.