Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract/Objectives

This cultural diplomacy local walking tour guided youth from partner countries through Hsinchu Park, the Glass Craft Museum, and the Hsinchu Zoo, offering a place-based exploration of Hsinchu's urban development and cultural transformation. Originally constructed during the Japanese colonial period, Hsinchu Park featured lakeside pavilions, children's amusement areas, and civic halls, representing modern leisure spaces of the time. After World War II, the park underwent multiple functional transitions, including military and residential uses, which led to the suspension of its recreational role. In recent years, however, collaborative efforts between the government and local communities have revitalized the park, restoring it as a key public space and a witness to the development of local self-governance. The two-hour guided tour was led by Chen-Hao Hsu, a student from the Experimental Education Program, who integrated his place-based learning objectives into a bilingual (Chinese–English) guided experience. Through narratives of spatial transformation and the historical evolution of the glass industry, participants were encouraged to understand Taiwan’s approaches to cultural preservation and urban revitalization from a local perspective.

Results/Contributions （500 words）

The guided tour effectively integrated local culture, experimental education, and cultural diplomacy, enabling youth participants to gain deeper insights into Taiwan's urban history and the evolution of leisure culture through a student-led approach. By examining the changing functions of Hsinchu Park, participants explored shifts in urban lifestyles from the Japanese colonial period to the present, as well as the transformation of the glass industry from traditional craftsmanship to cultural and creative development.

The bilingual guided tour also strengthened the student guide's English communication skills and intercultural competence, while enhancing participants’ understanding of Taiwan's models for cultural preservation and urban revitalization. Through dialogue on heritage conservation, public space reuse, and local identity, the activity demonstrated the impact of experimental education in fostering global awareness, cultural literacy, and civic engagement among youth.

Keywords

Local Walking Tour, Cultural Diplomacy, Bilingual Guided Tour, Cultural Preservation, Urban Revitalization, Experimental Education

References

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Media Information

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