GCTF seminar on democratic resilience staged in Ottawa

2024/04/17

A seminar teaching resilience against disinformation was held April 12 in Ottawa under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
The event, the first GCTF activity held in the North American city, was organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and the University of Ottawa’s Information Integrity Lab. The discussion focused on how Taiwan’s civic groups counter disinformation from foreign sources aimed at intervening in the country’s elections, the MOFA said.
 
Opening remarks were delivered by Harry Ho-jen Tseng, Taiwan’s representative in Canada; U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen; and Scott Ryan, Australia’s high commissioner to Canada. University of Ottawa President Jacques Frémont also addressed attendees.
 
According to Tseng, Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy lists countering disinformation as a core international cooperation item. Taiwan is committed to contributing more to the global community as it faces the challenges of ongoing cognitive warfare, he said, adding that the country will work with other like-minded partners to safeguard the rules-based international order by defending freedom and democracy.
 
The MOFA said the seminar was attended by officials from 21 countries including Taiwan’s allies Haiti, Paraguay and St. Kitts and Nevis; the host country, Canada; Australia, Japan and the U.S., as well as countries in Europe and Latin America. Around 100 academics and students from around the world also participated in the event, the ministry added.
 
Since its launch in 2015 by Taiwan and the U.S., GCTF has become a critical platform for facilitating discussion of solutions to global issues. The initiative was later joined by Japan and Australia, and affiliated events have been held outside the founding countries since 2021. 


Source: Noticias de Taiwan (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)