The demo meeting at Foreign Service Institute of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) was a success. I was the happiest Toastmaster on stage, because I was lucky enough to have the wonderful and precious opportunity to serve as the Toastmaster of the Evening.

It was a rainy and chilly Tuesday evening, but as soon as I walked into the meeting room crowded with 100 people, I was impressed with the warm atmosphere of members and guests and the state-of-the-art meeting equipment and facilities. There are three booths above for simultaneous interpreters to overlook the speakers with the best view. It is a dream meeting room, on the second floor of a brand new building of the Foreign Service Institute at the Dunhua-Renai Traffic circle. The institute is responsible for providing educational and training programs for Foreign Service personnel of MOFA.

Before the Chinese New Year, Division H Governor Y.S Liao called me to invite me to be the Toastmaster of Evening at MOFA's demo meeting. I was so thrilled that Grand Toastmasters Club could be chosen to host the demo meeting. It would be a meaningful training opportunity for Grand's members to hone the communication and leadership skills at a formal and important occasion in front of our future diplomats. It also would be the best chance to build the solidarity and team spirit among members.

The night before the demo meeting, I could not fall asleep. I am sure I was not alone. Many members also felt the formidable challenge in front of us. As citizens of Taiwan, we can't find a better way to serve our country, to show our love for TAIWAN by conducting a standard benchmark Toastmaster meeting. How honored we are to be able to support our future Ambassadors of MOFA to fight a difficult war in the international arena by providing our helping hands and warm hearts.

During the meeting, Timothy Chin-tien Yang, Director General of Foreign Service Institute thanked Division H and Grand Toastmasters Club to help MOFA with the demo meeting. Samuel S.K.Wu, Deputy Director General, was with us during the entire meeting. Vincent Jing-Yen Liu, Chief of First Section, NGO Affairs Committee, pointed at the Big T on Toastmasters banner, and encouraged the young diplomats to put Taiwan on the stage of the world. Vincent is the responsible head to run Toastmasters program at MOFA.

The demo meeting was a success. I am sure Dr. Ralph C. Smedley would be pleased with our performance. He would be happy to see our government taking the initiatives to train the future diplomats, young men and women, to learn the communication and leadership skills. If all world leaders are toastmasters, we would have an earth in peace. We can extend our hands to the extraterrestrial in the universe, fly to the Mars to have a Toastmasters meeting.

Dr. Smedley, thank you for laying a solid foundation for us to develop ourselves in a mutually supportive and positive learning environment, to make our world a better place. I am sure that one day Toastmasters International will win the Nobel Peace Award for our contribution to the humanity by developing each individual person on earth.

It was still raining and chilly when I left the Foreign Service Institute. I felt like a rising star after the successful demo meeting on stage. I put on my red cape to cover myself to avoid the public eyes. What should I do if I am getting famous?

(The article was written by Sherry Li --a Grand Toastmaster Club member, after she hosted a demo meeting on March 16, 2007 at Foreign Service Institute of Ministry of Foreign Affairs)