PR-2058
November 19, 2020
AIT and TECRO Senior Representatives
Celebrate Taiwan’s Contribution to the U.S. Department of State
as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS
WASHINGTON — At a November 18 virtual ceremony hosted by the American Institute in Taiwan in Washington, D.C., Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) Representative Bi-khim Hsiao, American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Ingrid Larson, U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ambassador Atul Keshap, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Backemeyer and Acting Deputy Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS David Schlaefer celebrated a $500,000 contribution from TECRO to support moderate education programs in communities impacted by ISIS in northeast Syria.
The education system in northeast Syria is struggling to make up for six years of severely limited foundational learning, leaving children and youth susceptible to violent extremism. The Injaz program, a project to support moderate education activities in areas liberated from ISIS in northeast Syria, combats ISIS ideology and makes children and youth less vulnerable to extremist ideology by improving access to education and preparing students to re-enter and remain in the mainstream education system. With TECRO’s donation, the Injaz program will continue its vital work to revitalize and strengthen the education sector and improve access to education in northeast Syria. This work includes initiatives such as: rehabilitating water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities at schools, winterizing classrooms, and providing remedial education to displaced children without access to formal education. Taiwan is a partner in the 83-member Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS Coalition), which aims to counter the threat posed by ISIS and ultimately ensure ISIS’s enduring defeat.
During today’s ceremony, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Keshap highlighted the importance of TECRO’s contribution to support the Coalition’s goals, saying, “TECRO’s contribution today to support the development of moderate education in northeast Syria marks a continuing commitment to our shared values, and a concrete example of how Taiwan remains a reliable partner, a role model for democratic governance, and a force for good in the world.”
Deputy Assistant Secretary Backemeyer went on to say that “TECRO’s donation in support of the D-ISIS Coalition’s goals, provides critical support to ongoing education programming and its mission of revitalizing the education sector in northeast Syria”