![\"\"](\"https:\/\/eng.cycu.edu.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/03-\u4e2d\u539f\u5927\u5b78\u5b78\u751f\u8207\u570b\u5167\u5916\u9752\u5e74\u5fd7\u5de5\u5206\u5de5\u6574\u7406\u8001\u5c4b\u7a7a\u9593\uff0c\u4ee5\u5be6\u969b\u884c\u52d5\u5b88\u8b77\u5730\u65b9\u6587\u5316\u8a18\u61b6\u3002.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBeyond community service, the program featured a variety of cultural experiences, including Hakka Earth God (Bogong) heritage tours, traditional stone knife-making workshops, and Taiwanese night market visits. These activities introduced international volunteers to Hakka culture from multiple perspectives, including history, traditional craftsmanship, local beliefs, and everyday life, while providing deeper insights into the historical development of Zhongli’s Old Town. Living and working together throughout the program also fostered meaningful intercultural understanding and lasting friendships among participants from different countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vietnamese volunteer Annie shared that her positive experiences with Taiwanese friends during her studies abroad inspired her to join the volunteer camp and gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Working alongside CYCU students to restore historic buildings and serve the local community allowed me to experience the most authentic side of Taiwan’s local culture. More importantly, I gained friendships that transcend national borders,”<\/em> she said. “This volunteer experience was more than a cultural exchange\u2014it became an unforgettable journey of personal growth.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n One of the highlights of the program was the Cultural Kitchen and intercultural evening, where participants from different countries prepared traditional dishes, shared stories about their food, customs, and daily lives, and introduced their cultures through music and dance. These activities broadened CYCU students’ global perspectives while strengthening their intercultural communication skills through living, working, and serving alongside their international peers. International volunteers also experienced Taiwan’s vibrant night markets and community life, gaining a deeper appreciation for the warmth, hospitality, and cultural diversity of Taiwanese society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n French volunteer Virgile Lopparelli said that guided tours of Zhongli’s Old Town and hands-on participation in historic building restoration deepened his appreciation of different cultural traditions and the importance of heritage conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Historic buildings can only continue to thrive when they are cared for and passed down from one generation to the next,”<\/em> he said. “Through serving the local community, I not only gained a deeper understanding of Taiwan but also created memories and friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Through its commitment to service-learning, CYCU empowers students to connect with communities, develop global perspectives, and make a positive social impact. The International Volunteer Camp brought together young people from around the world to promote local revitalization, cultural sustainability, and lasting cross-cultural friendships through hands-on community service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CYCU hosted the “The Charm of the Old Town” International Volunteer Camp, bringing together seven volunteers from Vietnam, Thailand, Denmark, and France and ten CYCU students for a week of service-learning and cultural exchange. Through historic building restoration, environmental conservation, and community engagement in Zhongli’s Old Town, participants contributed to local revitalization while deepening their understanding of Taiwanese culture. The program also advanced the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting sustainable communities, environmental stewardship, and global partnerships.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":35108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[501],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/eng.cycu.edu.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/02-\u4e2d\u539f\u5927\u5b78\u570b\u969b\u5fd7\u5de5\u5de5\u4f5c\u71df\u5b89\u6392\u77f3\u5200\u5203\u5177\u624b\u4f5c\u9ad4\u9a57\uff0c\u5f15\u9818\u570b\u969b\u5fd7\u5de5\u8a8d\u8b58\u50b3\u7d71\u5de5\u85dd\u6280\u8853\u8207\u6587\u5316\u50b3\u627f\u3002.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/eng.cycu.edu.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/04-\u4e2d\u539f\u5927\u5b78\u570b\u969b\u5fd7\u5de5\u5de5\u4f5c\u71df\u8209\u8fa6\u6587\u5316\u5eda\u623f\u4ea4\u6d41\uff0c\u4f86\u81ea\u6cd5\u570b\u7684Virgile\u5e36\u4f86\u6cd5\u5f0f\u53ef\u9e97\u9905\uff0c\u4ee5\u7f8e\u98df\u4e32\u8d77\u8de8\u6587\u5316\u53cb\u8abc\u3002.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n