To celebrate its 130th anniversary and express gratitude to Tamkang for providing much-needed assistance in the wake of the 311 Japan Earthquake, Meiji University recently organized for its cub scouts to visit the TKU Tamsui Campus – the only university visit in their several-day itinerary.

Why did they only visit Tamkang, you may ask? Last year, after Japan was struck by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami, Tamkang’s Cub scouts immediately sent emergency supplies – including sleeping bags, sleeping mats, gas stoves and thermal wear – to the affected areas.

The visitors arrived at the Tamsui Campus on March 5th. They were greeted by the President of Tamkang University, Dr. Flora Chia-I Chang, along with the Former Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for the General Association of the Scouts of China, Dr. Wu Ching-ji. Various TKU associations also took part in welcoming the guests, including the Japanese Department Association, the Japanese Cultural Research Club, the TKU International Youth Ambassadors and the TKU Student Association. The Chairman of the TKU Scout Association, Wayne Huang, commented: “It’s such an honor to receive a scout group from Japan”. Apart from taking a tour of the campus, the visiting scouts were also treated to performances by the TKU Student Association and took part in a range of fun activities. One of the more unique activities was a “beach clean-up” event, which allowed the visitors to not only get close to nature, but also contribute to the local community. Chairman Huang noted: “this cultural exchange is more than just a scout or student society activity; it is an extremely rare chance for international exchange and interaction”.