Try to enter the keyword "Taichung's most beautiful campus" on the Internet, you can see 728,000 search results in just 0.47 seconds; through articles and photos, you will see Tunghai University (THU) with large green spaces, beautiful woods and characteristic buildings. However, recently if you walk along with the campus, you can find the environment has changed. The air we breathe is no longer fresh because of the construction and operation of the Taichung Industrial Zone, Central Taiwan Science Park, Taichung crematorium, and Wenshan incinerator. Therefore, we have proposed the "Authentic food and clean air in partner communities" plan in 2017. For the past three years, we have established a cooperation platform to connect the university with the general public to pay attention to environmental issues such as air and soil pollution.
This year (2020) joined the issue of water resources, and we have launched the project "Civil empowerment for environmental sustainability". We try to deepen the cooperation on the platform, and brewed "One university guards one stream". Mr. Beauson Tseng, the first president of Tunghai University, said "Pioneering will be our watchword" at the opening ceremony of this school. In order to reflect this spirit, we promote integration with external resources and incorporate river cleaning into general education courses. THU's 60-year-old Labor Education plus Taichung Branch of The Society of Wilderness have transformed the traditional campus environmental cleanup into community service. Based on the Fatzu River watershed, we also promote and handle river cleaning activities, tour guide training. More people will be able to explore the ecological secrets of the rivers, to arouse the protection and respect for water resources and river environment.
This University Social Responsibility (USR) project "Civil empowerment for environmental sustainability" sponsored by the Ministry of Education, try to cultivate and encourage citizens to practice environmental sustainability from food safety, air pollution, water pollution issues. We actively work with colleges and universities, community civic groups and non-profit organizations to share experiences and resources. To increase the visibility of the topic, the "Third THU USR Environmental Joint Film Festival" has been held this year, together with the Public Television Service and our partners for a total of 12 sessions. Through the transmission of images, the spirit of former efforts can continue and expand to the public. Our topic documentary, "The Age of Awakening", will be presented by the director Chin-yuan Ke and the film-maker Li-ping Yu. This year we hope to trigger more public awareness among teachers, students and the community and join the ranks of environmental protection.
"Truth, Faith, Deeds—Truth attained through Faith expressed by Deeds", which is the school motto of our university. As an important role of social sciences and the guardian of liberal arts education, we are fully aware that if the university must respond to the needs of the surrounding environment. We sincerely hope that this project will keep on empowering all stakeholders and increasing citizens' willingness and ability to participate in environmental issues. Therefore, the public can repair our environment and build a sustainable city for all well-beings.