On March 16, 2024, Soochow University celebrated its 124th Anniversary with a sports day event, where the Office of International and Cross-Strait Office (ICAE) led exchange students from Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, China, and other parts of the world to participate in the anniversary parade. The exchange students expressed, “This is our first time participating in a Taiwanese university anniversary event, and it’s very lively and fun with lots of activities!” Nearly 50 exchange students were seen waving their countries’ flags on the sports field, immersing themselves in the joyful atmosphere of the celebration and wishing Soochow University a happy birthday!

In the afternoon, the volunteers from ICAE organized a picnic with 30 exchange students at the Yuanshan Expo Park, starting with an exciting name-tag ripping game. Focused, poised, and motivating each other, the students engaged in intense chases across the grass, enhanced by the lively live commentary from the exchange students from China, which filled the air with youthful laughter and attracted the attention of passersby. After the game, everyone sat on the grass, chatting and enjoying lunch. Chen Mengzhuo from Xiamen University and Feng Xiaoxuan from Suzhou University of Science and Technology volunteered to perform songs in Mandarin, Southern Min, English, Cantonese, and Japanese, allowing exchange students from various countries to sing along. Additionally, Shi Rongwei from Suzhou University of Science and Technology and volunteer Li Jiaxian performed a hot dance from a Korean group, adding much color to the event. As everyone sang along to the music, the event was filled with heartwarming scenes of laughter from exchange students from different countries.

The participating exchange students expressed to the volunteers, “The event was fantastic! We feel very blessed, thank you for organizing it!” Some suggested that more such events should be held. The charm of multicultural exchange made everyone feel the beauty of crossing cultural boundaries. Stepping out of the campus and through games and picnics, the event created an opportunity for exchange students and volunteers to get to know each other better, and also allowed the international students to experience a more relaxed and comfortable side of Taipei.