The “Taiwan Cultural Experience and Mandarin Course Promotion Day” in Poland.
TCML-Taiwan Culture and Language Exchange Association held the “Taiwan Cultural Experience and Mandarin Course Promotion Day” on April 11 and April 23 at the Taiwan-themed café “Tuka Café,” operated by members of the Taiwanese community in Poland, in Poznań, a major city in western Poland. The events aimed to enhance Taiwan’s visibility in western Poland by combining cultural experiences, Taiwan-themed lectures, and Mandarin course trial sessions to introduce local residents to Taiwan’s culture and Mandarin learning resources.
The series of events was conducted in both Polish and English, successfully attracting local Polish residents as well as international residents living in Poznań, demonstrating the demand and development potential for Mandarin learning in western Poland.
The April 11 event consisted of three parts: the Taiwan-themed lecture “Languages and Ethnic Groups in Taiwan,” a cultural experience activity on seal carving, and a beginner Mandarin trial class. The lecture “Languages and Ethnic Groups in Taiwan” was delivered by former Polish Representative to Taiwan, Ambassador Maciej Gaca. The lecture introduced the historical development of ethnic groups and language use in Taiwan, the transformation of national identity among the people of Taiwan, and the formation and deepening of Taiwan consciousness. Conducted in Polish, the lecture primarily targeted local Polish audiences. Participants showed strong interest in topics related to Taiwan’s ethnic groups, languages, and national identity, and actively engaged in discussions during the Q&A session.
The second part of the event was the seal carving experience, conducted in English. In addition to Polish participants, the activity also attracted non-Polish residents living in Poznań. Due to overwhelming interest, the organizers added a second session to meet public demand. The workshop was led by Mandarin instructor Yu-Hsiang Shen, who introduced the historical evolution of Han characters and guided participants through hands-on activities to personally experience the beauty of traditional characters.
The third part of the event consisted of free beginner Mandarin trial classes, held in three sessions at noon, afternoon, and evening, each lasting 30 minutes. The classes targeted local residents who were either new to Mandarin or had prior learning experience. The trial lessons focused on simple and practical everyday expressions, aiming to assess local learning demand and promote enrollment for future beginner courses to be offered at the café. Participants responded positively, and several attendees expressed interest in formally enrolling after the classes.
In addition, following the conclusion of the April 11 activities, Association President Chun-Yi Teng introduced the center’s course offerings and teaching 特色 to participants and promoted the Polish edition of the textbook “Let’s Learn Mandarin,” further increasing public awareness of Mandarin learning resources.
The second “Taiwan Cultural Experience and Mandarin Course Promotion Day” was held on April 23 and featured the Taiwan-themed lecture “Highlights of Taiwan Culture,” also delivered by former Polish Representative to Taiwan, Ambassador Maciej Gaca. During the lecture, Ambassador Gaca introduced the development and transformation of Taiwan’s music through a historical perspective, explaining how music from different periods reflected Taiwan’s social atmosphere, everyday life, and changing times. Conducted in Polish, the lecture enabled Polish audiences to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan culture through a familiar language. Audience interaction was lively, with participants actively raising questions during the Q&A session and expressing further interest in Taiwan’s culture and social development.
The two events successfully combined Taiwan-themed lectures, cultural experiences, and Mandarin course promotion activities, attracting local residents and international participants in Poznań while deepening participants’ understanding of Taiwan’s history, languages, ethnic groups, cultural arts, and contemporary society. By using Tuka Café as a local exchange hub, the events not only provided opportunities for the public to engage with Taiwan culture but also established a solid foundation for the future promotion of Mandarin courses in Poznań.
TCML Introduction : Taiwan Culture and Language Exchange Association
