Sustainable Development Goals

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United Daily News / Reported by Hsu Po-fen, Hsinchu


This year's Design Thinking Workshop included three international students, all of whom were assigned to the same team. Despite differences in cultural backgrounds and language barriers, this multinational team—comprising members from Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia—emerged as a standout performer. Their proposal combined Vietnam's traditional water puppet theater with Bali's Melasti purification ritual from Indonesia to encourage people to reconnect with rivers. The multicultural concept earned them first place.


The team, named "Together with the River" (a play on words in Chinese), consisted of Vietnamese students Vi Van Hung and Nguyen Thi Uyen, both third-year Environmental Engineering and Health students at Yuanpei University of Medical Technology; Indonesian student Ishanli, a junior in Business Administration at National Tsing Hua University; and two Taiwanese members: Liang Yu-ting, a recent graduate from the Department of Special Education at National Tsing Hua University, and Liang Yu-hao from National Miaoli Agricultural & Industrial Vocational Senior High School. Compared with the other lively discussion groups, this "international team" stood out for its unique composition.


Nguyen Thi Uyen explained that in Vietnam, most waste is disposed of through landfills rather than incineration, unlike in Taiwan. As a result, much of the garbage eventually ends up in rivers, and many people have become accustomed to the problem. She joined the workshop to see how Taiwanese students approach and solve issues related to river pollution.


Vi Van Hung added that as Vietnam's economy continues to grow, society has become increasingly aware of the importance of river conservation. Since he and Nguyen are both classmates and from the same hometown, they decided to participate in the workshop together.


Ishanli said that rivers in Indonesia face not only pollution but also problems caused by illegal riverside settlements, which obstruct water flow and contribute to severe flooding. Such disasters have claimed the lives of many vulnerable residents, making river safety a major concern and motivating her to join the workshop.


Although the team members came from different backgrounds, they shared a common goal: protecting rivers. Liang Yu-ting, whose academic background is in special education, decided to turn the team's diversity into an advantage by promoting multicultural exchange and strengthening the public's emotional connection with rivers.


Their proposal was to build a performance stage at the Tofu Rocks scenic area along the Touqian River and host Vietnamese water puppet performances alongside Bali's Melasti purification ceremony. By showcasing the beauty of the Touqian River through cultural experiences, they hoped to inspire participants to appreciate and protect the river, allowing each event to contribute to long-term river conservation efforts.


Back to the River Workshop

The workshop was jointly organized by Tunghai University, National Tsing Hua University, the United Daily News Cultural Foundation, and United Daily News.

Website: river.udn.com