The 2003 Taiwan Area Cultural Week jointly sponsored by more than 10 Tamkang University (TKU) Alumni Associations in counties and cities around Taiwan formally kicked off on Tamsui campus on March 3, 2003. The exposition will not only introduce regional cultures but also their delicious food.

Every local TKU Alumni Association (TKUAA) will display their exclusive characteristics of the culture and demonstrate their special dishes during the weeklong exposition. TKU students will have the opportunity to taste the multi-facial culture in Taiwan.

Ke Huan-chao, Dean of Student Affairs, pointed out that the main difference between the 2003 exposition and the former ones is the shortened period from 30 days to a week. The concentrated exposition will manifest the multi-facial cultures in Taiwan, making the activity a unique cultural carnival in TKU.

More than 10 TKUAAs, including those in Pingtung, Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua, Ilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Penghu and Taichung are taking part in the exposition. The opening ceremony will be heldatn three different places. The opening ceremony of Chuchan week and Taichung week will be held at 11:20 am and 12:00 am on March 3 on the Playbill Street and Chueh-shuan Garden, respectively. As for the other eight TKUAAs, including Pingtung, Kaohsiung, Chiayi and Yunlin, Changhua, Ilan, Kinmen, Hualien and Penghu opening ceremony will be held at Fu Yuan Garden at 10:00 am, March 4.

The activities will be conducted on the Playbill Street, the exhibition hall of the Business Management Building and Chueh-shuan Garden while special local food exposition will be held on the Playbill Street and the University Commons.

TKUAA in Hsinchu will display the well-known colored glaze arts and will also invite renowned master to demonstrate the pulling glass technique on the scene. Visitors are welcome to try the art. They will also experience the making procedure of Hakka’s ground yam and cereal mixed powder and taste their delicious rice noodles.

At the same time, TKUAA in Pingtung, Kinmen, Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Changhua, Ilan, Hualien and Penghu will jointly sponsor a regional culture and product exposition at the Exhibition Hall of the Business Management Building from Tuesday through Friday. The blue highway is schemed as the main theme of the exposition displaying the whole coastal line and making the exposition hall relaxing and tropical. TKUAA in Hualien displays the picturesque of Huatung cliff, eastern coast and Taroko Gorge. Ilan branch will introduce Tungshan River, Mt. Taiping, Kueishan Island and Chaoying Temple. TKUAA in Kinmen will display the local God, fossil, kitchen knife and the making process of Kaoliang Wine.

Hsinchu branch will present a model of Tungmen Gate and Chenghuan Temple, pulling colored glaze technique and other special cuisines.