NEW TAIPEI CITY, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Executive Council Meeting of the Austronesian Forum for 2024 was held in Kaohsiung on April 16, with representatives from 15 countries and territories in attendance. Attending representatives from each member and observer country elected among themselves and confirmed that Icyang˙Parod, the representative from Taiwan, will continue serving as the Chair of the Austronesian Forum. 

The newly appointed Chair, Icyang Parod, expressed that since the forum's reactivation in 2018, there have been fruitful achievements thanks to the joint efforts of all members. Over the past six years, the Austronesian Forum has held meetings in Palau and the Marshall Islands. It has also continued to organize large-scale international forums on language revitalization, the PASIWALI International Music Festival, comprehensive community development projects in Austronesian regions, and youth talent training programs. These efforts have enhanced collaboration and exchanges in the Austronesian region, jointly promoting the sustainable development of Austronesian cultures. 

Chair Icyang pointed out that when the forum was established in 2008, there were 9 member countries and territories. Today, the forum encompasses 15 countries and territories that recognize the value and vision of the Austronesian Forum. This year, with the unanimous agreement of all members, the Northern Mariana Islands has become the 16th formal member of the forum. In the future, it will work with all members to promote the sustainable development goals of Austronesian peoples. 

At the end of the meeting, Chair Icyang expressed that the Council of Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan, in line with the State's New Southbound Policy, proposed for the second phase of the Austronesian Forum's medium to long-term plan to be discussed at the Executive Council meeting in order to continue implementation efforts in 2025. The goal is to gather valuable input from representatives and strengthen substantive participation and collaboration among Austronesian countries.