This Thursday, students from National Yilan Senior High School (YLSH) and Vardø Upper Secondary School in Norway successfully completed a radio exchange spanning 7,458 kilometers. Shortwave broadcasting enabled Radio Taiwan International’s (Rti’s) Tamsui transmission station to connect to the Arctic Circle on the opposite side of the globe.

The Taiwan × Arctic Youth Connection project, jointly initiated by the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA), Rti, YLSH, and other organizations, aims to promote youth empowerment and international exchange through professional broadcasting courses. The project integrates technology education, cultural diplomacy, media literacy, and disaster-prevention capacity building under a model of resilient connectivity.

After the exchange, Rti received reception reports from listeners in Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands who had recorded the program, demonstrating the value of shortwave broadcasting in crossing borders and closing distances. Looking ahead, the project will be filmed and produced as a documentary for public release.

Rti President Chang Jui-Chang (張瑞昌) pointed out that, through shortwave broadcasting, students can better understand the critical role of international communications in building connections across regions. Broadcasting is not only a transmission tool, he says, but also an important platform for cultivating global perspectives among young people. TDDA President Chiayo Kuo (郭家佑) added that the initiative proves information flow can be maintained even without internet access.