President Ma delivered a speech at the 2010 Taiwan International Science Fair Award Ceremony on February 5. On behalf of the government and citizens of the Republic of China, he offered a warm welcome to the outstanding students and teachers who had come to Taiwan from 13 different countries to take part in the event.
The president affirmed that science education at the primary and secondary levels is the cornerstone of our nation's development in the sciences, and the key to enhancing our national competitiveness. More importantly, he added, it is the driving force that assures our continued economic and social viability. He pointed out that Taiwan has relied on its outstanding science education over decades to cultivate the nation's talent and develop its intellectual capital, and that these efforts have enabled Taiwan to keep pace with the leading edge in the sciences, as reflected in the outstanding results that local students have achieved in international science fairs. He pointed in particular to Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) and the "Ideas-Inventions-New Products" trade show in Neuremberg, Germany, as notable examples.
The president expressed his thanks to the many supporters who had helped to ensure a successful science fair. In addition to the parents and teachers, he also gave special mention to the generous support provided by Intel Corporation, the K.T. Li Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, and the GFC Foundation, as well as the Taipei City Department of Education and Jianguo High School, who each year look after the needs of the foreign visitors during their stay in Taiwan.
And finally, the president reminded students that the most important part of an international science fair like this one is the opportunity to interact and learn from each other, for it is the personal encounters and learning experiences among the participants that turn out to be the most significant. He encouraged young people from Taiwan to seize every chance to take part in international gatherings and global activities to broaden their horizons and plumb the mysteries of science, and to seek the betterment of mankind through their contributions in the field of science.