In Taiwan, international goodwill ambassadors are university students chosen to help ensure that international events run smoothly. Getting into the program is tough, and even those who make it have to go through difficult training. A contest is now underway to find the best of the best.
They move around behind the scenes at each National Day celebration, making sure that the show goes ahead as planned and foreign guests are well taken care of. You can see them at plenty of other international events besides greeting, guiding, and assisting visitors from around the world. These are Taiwan’s elite “goodwill ambassadors”, young people trained to charm, but also to make sure every event they’re assigned to is a success.
The Chinese Culture University and the International Goodwill Ambassador Association are coming together in search for the best goodwill ambassadors. Twenty-four participants from universities around Taiwan have been selected to enter the final round, set to be held on August 22.
In the goodwill ambassador program, good looks alone are not enough. Participants have to practice their smiles every day by clenching down on a stick between their teeth. They must also practice their posture by balancing a book on their heads and trying to walk up without letting it fall off.
Being a goodwill ambassador might not be as glamorous as being a celebrity, but you still have to sacrifice a lot to become one.