Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) will speak at the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF) taking place in Washington at the end of January next year. The summit is the largest gathering of religious leaders, organizations, advocates and diplomats around the world.
The IRF Secretariat President Nadine Maenza invited You when she visited Taiwan in November this year. Maenza also discussed hosting a summit in Taiwan next May as well. You Si-kun says Taiwan is the ideal country to host the summit because Taiwan values democracy and human rights.
The organizers say You was invited to speak at the summit because he is outspoken on issues pertaining to democracy and religious freedom. In August, You spoke at other religious freedom forums on pushing back against Chinese authoritarianism. The legislative speaker says he hopes Taiwan can collaborate with other democratic countries to push for equality around the world.
The speaker will also attend the National Prayer Breakfast, which is hosted annually by the US Congress. You Si-kun says his attendance will allow Taiwan to collaborate with other countries on religious freedom and democratic issues.