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On October 4, 2025, on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Tzu Chi North Toronto Liaison Office hosted a tea party filled with rich cultural heritage and a warm atmosphere of reunion—the “Mid-Autumn Festival Reunion and Chinese Culture Promotion Event.” The event officially began at 2:00 PM, with many community leaders and dignitaries in attendance. The venue was filled with joy, gratitude, and the spirit of togetherness.
Before the event began, all attendees joined their palms in sincere prayer for the victims of the recent Typhoon Hualca-Gaza in Taiwan. They prayed for the land to recover quickly and for the displaced to rebuild their homes and return to peaceful lives. These heartfelt prayers sent warm wishes from overseas back to their homeland, creating a powerful and comforting force.
Distinguished Guests Share Words of Gratitude and Praise
David West, Mayor of Richmond Hill, was the first to speak. Deeply moved by the quiet dedication of Tzu Chi volunteers in both global and local communities, he insisted on attending despite his busy schedule. He noted that he has seen how Tzu Chi uses selfless love to connect different ethnic groups and fill the community with warmth.
Deputy Mayor Godwin Chan specifically praised Tzu Chi’s efforts in promoting Chinese culture. He recalled being particularly impressed when he attended a previous humanities school event and saw students serving tea to their parents. He remarked that if his own children were still school-aged, he would definitely enroll them at Tzu Chi. He concluded by wishing for a speedy return to normalcy for residents in the disaster-stricken areas.
Director-General Chen-pang Leung of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto pointed out that Tzu Chi is the pride of Taiwan, showcasing the power of humanistic care on the international stage. Joe Lan, Director of the Culture Center, expressed his hope that the Tzu Chi North Toronto Humanities School will become one of Taiwan’s Mandarin learning centers, continuing to advance language education and cultural inheritance.
Shu-Zhen Huang, Principal of the Tzu Chi Academy, North Toronto, stated her hope to lead students in learning Traditional Chinese characters and culture within a vibrant, inspiring, and joyful learning environment. This, she said, would deepen their understanding of Taiwanese culture and make the Mid-Autumn Festival an ideal classroom for cultural promotion. She also expressed her aspiration that through promoting Chinese language education, the Taiwanese-Canadian community can become an indispensable force on the multicultural stage of the Greater Toronto Area.
A special surprise during the event was the arrival of Pierre Poilievre, the current Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. In his address, Mr. Poilievre praised Taiwan for its global leadership in the semiconductor industry and commended its admirable emphasis on family values and patriotism. He expressed his honor at being invited to the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion and Chinese culture promotion event.
He also noted that the Mid-Autumn Festival is an important time for family reunion in Chinese culture, much like Thanksgiving in the West, and he hoped to share in the joy of togetherness with everyone. His presence energized the atmosphere, and attendees eagerly took photos with him, creating unforgettable memories.
Family Fun with Creativity and Joy
Following the guest speeches, the event moved into the exciting highlight of cultural promotion. First was the Chinese Character Recognition and Writing Competition. Led by volunteer teacher Sophia Huang, the attendees were divided into nine groups to take on the challenge of forming characters from their radicals. Each stroke stirred everyone’s thoughts as children tried hard to recall the characters they had learned, and adults tapped into their memories. The room was filled with laughter and applause. The competition was not just a contest but a form of heritage. Ms. Huang also encouraged the children to learn from the adults, so they too can find their cultural roots in the written language.
Next, the Pomelo DIY Creative Contest brought the atmosphere to another peak. During the 25-minute creation period, participants used their hands and ingenuity to transform pomelos into lifelike animal shapes: there were cute rabbits, nimble octopuses, gentle turtles, and leaping frogs, as well as a huge whale and a spiky hedgehog. The dazzling array of creations was a feast for the eyes.
Adults and children alike were deeply engaged, and the venue was filled with creativity and joy, truly showcasing the festive atmosphere of “a family happily reunited.” Furthermore, Guzheng teacher Mr. Guo-Wei Yuan played background music related to the Mid-Autumn Festival, filling the venue with a strong Mid-Autumn reunion atmosphere.
This Mid-Autumn cultural tea party was not just a festive celebration, but also a spiritual exchange and cultural inheritance. Through prayer, the Chinese character recognition and writing competition, and pomelo DIY creations, people of different ethnic groups and age levels found common ground within Tzu Chi’s space, experiencing the beauty of reunion.
