To raise public awareness of the importance of water resources and the interconnected ecology that support such life-providing systems, National Chi Nan University held a special water-themed carnival called “Just Keep Swimming” on June 6 next to the Pacheng Flood Canal at an experimental forest conservation area maintained by National Chung Hsing University in central Taiwan.

Organized by the NCNU College of Science and Technology's university social responsibility (USR) office, the “Just Keep Swimming” carnival also featured the “R Program” of the NCNU Center for General Education that offers new models of co-learning and co-working with the local community. The day-long parent-child festivities were made possible with the invaluable help of professors Yang Chih-chi (楊智其), Lin Jan-wei (林展緯), and Shiu Hao (徐顥) and their students.

The organizers' objectives were to portray the full scope of Puli Township's rich water resources and enhance public participation by outlining the importance of ecological and cultural conservation. Centered on the success of revitalizing the Pacheng Flood Canal and its subsequent pollution, the June 6 program put forth a three-pronged approach towards infrastructure design and water management that considered “sustainable development” through the lens of cultural heritage, biodiversity, and regional agricultural demands.

The carnival also offered a five-challenge competition on Puli Township's water resources, encompassing a drawing section for illustrating future sights and scenes along Pacheng Flood Canal; a quiz on water management challenges and current prospects; a hands-on test kit for sampling the water quality of the nearby canal; a hoop-throwing trivia game based on Taiwan's nationwide recycling rules; and a primer on the facilities and functions built into the Pacheng Flood Canal using a precisely scaled model of the structure.

Attended by city and county legislators and Puli Mayor Liao Chih-cheng (廖志城), the family-centered activities crafted by the NCNU College of Science and Technology's USR team poetically evoked childhood memories of water games to awaken the regional community's eco-conscience and attract more public support for the conservation of water resources and related ecology.

More information on USR implementation by NCNU available at https://eng.ncnu.edu.tw/node/353.

Created Date

Wed, 08/11/2021 - 11:47

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