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On the early winter day of November 15, 2025, the “Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning – Tzu Chi Academy North Toronto” hosted an adult Mandarin program open house and information session, combined with an awards ceremony for a Mandarin writing competition.
A Multicultural Fusion: Sharing the Beauty of Language and Culture
On an afternoon with the deepening chill of early winter, the Tzu Chi North Toronto Liaison Office was filled with a warm and joyful atmosphere. An event combining language education promotion and cultural heritage—the “Adult Mandarin Enrollment Open House and Mandarin Writing Competition Awards Ceremony”—made its grand debut to an eager crowd. The venue was packed to capacity with distinguished guests, Tzu Chi volunteers, and community members. The presence of nearly one hundred attendees symbolized the deep roots of Mandarin education within the Canadian community and highlighted the community’s commitment to cultural preservation.
The event began with the solemn Three Bows ceremony, followed by a collective singing of the Canadian national anthem, “O Canada,” underscoring the profound meaning of multicultural exchange. The organizers extended special thanks to all the distinguished guests in attendance, including: Godwin Chan, Deputy Mayor of Richmond Hill; Isa Lee, Markham City Councillor; Michael Chen, York Region District School Board Trustee; Director Po-Ching Lan and Deputy Director Tsai-Feng Hsu of the Culture Center of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto; and Tim Chuang, President of the Taiwan Entrepreneurs Society Taipei/Toronto. These prominent leaders from the political, business, and educational sectors graced the event with their presence.
Also in attendance, adding to the event’s prestige, were: David Chu, Deputy CEO of Tzu Chi Canada; Richard Wang, Deputy CEO of Tzu Chi Canada and Principal of the Mississauga Academy; Chin-Fen Tseng, Principal of the Toronto Tzu Chi Academy; Yueh-Ching Chang, head of the Tzu Chi West Toronto Liaison Office; and Shao-Ling Chu, head of the North Toronto Liaison Office.
Gratitude for Promoting Traditional Characters and the Beauty of Taiwanese Culture
At the start of the event, Director Po-Ching Lan introduced the origins of the “Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML) – Tzu Chi Academy North Toronto.”
The center was established to enable more people to learn traditional Chinese characters from scratch. While learning the language, students also engage in cultural courses, such as experiencing Taiwanese folk customs and tasting Taiwanese cuisine, allowing them to get to know and fall in love with Taiwanese culture.
Principal Shu-Chen Huang of the Tzu Chi Academy North Toronto expressed her gratitude for the recognition from the Overseas Community Affairs Council, which made their school the first TCML on the East Coast of Canada. She also thanked the community for its affirmation of Tzu Chi’s educational efforts. The Tzu Chi Academy North Toronto was founded in 2013, and its nearly thirteen-year foundation gave them the confidence to expand Mandarin education to adults.
An Innovative “Drop-In and Write” Competition
Another highlight of the day was the awards ceremony for the first-ever “Mandarin Writing Competition,” held on October 25. The competition featured an innovative “drop-in and write” format. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, both adults and children were welcome to enter and participate, showcasing the beauty of their traditional Chinese characters and experiencing the focus and tranquility of handwriting. Although it was the first time holding such a competition, it attracted many families and exceeded the organizers’ expectations.
The steady stream of participants throughout the day was a testament to the community’s enthusiasm and support. With a total of 171 entries, the four judging teachers faced a considerable challenge.
Following speeches from the distinguished guests, the event moved on to the much-anticipated awards ceremony, celebrating outstanding works from various age groups. Winners were announced for the Preschool, Lower Elementary, Middle Elementary, Upper Elementary, Adult-Heritage, and Adult-Non-Heritage categories. The children’s works charmed with their innocent brushstrokes, while the adult participants demonstrated profound calligraphic skill, earning continuous applause and cheers from the audience.
In the Preschool group, Ho Chun-Ting won first place, with Kuo Hsi-Jui and Lin Tzu-Ying taking second and third, respectively. Honorable mentions went to Chiang Yi-Nuo and Chin Kung-Ting. In the Lower Elementary group, Wang Shih-Chi took the top prize, followed by Yang An-Ran and Chin Chien-Chi. The Middle Elementary first-place winner was Wen Tse-Hsiang, with Yang Chao-Ran and Wu Hsuan-Pei in second and third. Chang Tzu-Han won first place in the Upper Elementary group, with Wu Ai-Lin and Chao Jo-Chen placing next. The Adult-Heritage group saw fierce competition, with Huang Shu-Hui emerging as the winner, followed by Chan Yuan-Tsu and Chuang Tun-Hui. In the Adult-Non-Heritage group, Lin Hsiu-Ping won first prize, and Victor Hernandez secured second.
A Warm Conclusion Amidst the Aroma of Tea and Ink
Tranquility leads to wisdom. During the awards presentation, the faces of the winners and their parents beamed with pride and emotion. Many parents commented that such activities not only bring their children closer to the Mandarin language but also cultivate integrity and patience through the act of writing by hand. Adult participants shared that being able to write in Chinese in Canada reconnected them with their deep emotional ties to Chinese culture.
For years, Tzu Chi’s humanistic education has been dedicated to promoting the Mandarin language and humanistic values in Canada, emphasizing not just language skills but also character development, cultural understanding, and multicultural harmony. This event, combining Mandarin program enrollment with a writing competition, used a relaxed and interactive approach to inform the public about the adult Mandarin courses and learning resources. The writing competition also served to spark the community’s interest in learning Mandarin.
One attendee, Destiny Kassa, who took two buses to join the open house, registered on the spot after listening to the presentation on the adult Mandarin curriculum and watching the awards ceremony. She is now one of the students enrolled in the TCML January 2026 winter session.
During this warm and fulfilling afternoon, volunteers prepared an abundance of refreshments, and the event concluded amidst joy and blessings. Thanks to the efforts of all participants and volunteers, the hope is that more people will join the ranks of Mandarin learners and cultural ambassadors in the future.