SDG11
NCKU Warm Holiday Season – Spreading Warmth and Welcoming Christmas
As the end of the year approaches with the winter solstice and cold fronts, university students are also facing the pressures of final exams. To help alleviate the physical and mental stress during this time, National Cheng Kung University's Office of Student Affairs invited campus student organizations to plan a series of winter warm-up activities. These events reflect President Meng-Ru Shen's vision of creating a "Happy Campus" since taking office. For the first time, a large Christmas tree, arranged with the support of the Office of General Affairs, was set up on the lawn in front of the Student Activity Center on Kuang-Fu Campus. On the evening of December 18, a special tree-lighting ceremony was held, attended by President Meng-Ru Shen, administrative staff, faculty members, and students. Together, they embraced the festive atmosphere, hoping to spread blessings through the warm ambiance of Christmas gratitude and offer a future filled with warmth and hope to the students.
The large Christmas tree, appearing on NCKU’s campus for the first time, has been a striking sight. In recent days, it has attracted many to take photos and share them on social media, becoming a popular check-in spot. The NCKU emblem and "NCKU" lettering on the tree are particularly eye-catching, and behind its setup lies a story of alumni generosity.
Dean of Student Affairs, Liang-Yi Hung, revealed that the large Christmas tree was donated by an overseas alumnus as a special Christmas gift to their alma mater. This low-profile alumnus, who was involved in the construction of the Student Activity Center 40 years ago, expressed joy at seeing the building still as solid as ever. With students under the stress of final exams and many international students unable to return home for the holidays, the alumni donated the tree to create a warm and welcoming campus environment. Accompanied by wishing cards and a wish wall, the tree’s presence exudes warmth and care. As a result, this activity was jointly planned by the Offices of Student and General Affairs, receiving strong support from President Shen. The hope is that NCKU students can enjoy happy learning and joyful growth on campus.
At the same time, a series of warm-up activities for the end of the semester have been launched. On December 19, the Student Association hosted a "Warm Winter" event, and on December 25, a Human Rights Concert. The Residence Services Division organized a gift exchange on December 24 and another warm-up activity on December 26. The Photography Club held a “Photo Party Exhibition” until December 21, showcasing 280 works by 46 international and Taiwanese photography enthusiasts on the lawn in front of the Kuang-Fu Campus Student Activity Center. The photos, casually hung like laundry, create an intimate and approachable exhibition experience, redefining the social possibilities of photography and inviting visitors to explore.
This year’s debut of the large Christmas tree attracted enthusiastic participation from students, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Two first-year students from the Chinese Department joyfully shared their excitement, saying it was their first time seeing such a tall Christmas tree up close. They made wishes for everyone to pass their finals, have a peaceful Christmas, and spend the holidays with loved ones.
Four third-year students from the Department of Electrical Engineering came together and excitedly remarked that it was their first time seeing such a large Christmas tree at NCKU. They ended their dinner gathering early to attend and wished all students success in their exams, jokingly adding their hope that everyone could find love this Christmas and enjoy a holiday filled with love and hope.
Several international students expressed their love for Christmas and their excitement to join the event. They noted that this was their first time celebrating Christmas in Taiwan, making the experience fresh and unique. A German student shared that he had only known about the Student Activity Center building before and was impressed by the large Christmas tree set up in the plaza. Together with friends from Mexico and the Netherlands, he wished everyone a Merry Christmas, reflecting on how past Christmases were usually spent with family. This year, celebrating with friends through campus activities felt entirely different and uniquely meaningful.
The wish wall around the tree was filled with heartfelt wishes from students, spreading warmth through simple messages: “Wishing everyone success in finals, peace, and happiness,” “Wishing everyone a warm Christmas,” “May your dreams come true and stay healthy,” and “Finals All Pass.” Each wish carried abundant hope and blessings, embodying the festive atmosphere and the care within the campus community.
For those who wish to capture the beautiful night view of the large Christmas tree in front of the Student Activity Center, the lighting will be available until the Lantern Festival next year (2025). The tree will be illuminated daily from 5:00 PM to midnight, with extended lighting until 5:00 AM on special dates such as Christmas Eve (December 24), New Year’s Eve (December 31), Lunar New Year’s Eve (January 28, 2025), and Lantern Festival (February 12, 2025), as announced on the university's website.
The large Christmas tree, appearing on NCKU’s campus for the first time, has been a striking sight. In recent days, it has attracted many to take photos and share them on social media, becoming a popular check-in spot. The NCKU emblem and "NCKU" lettering on the tree are particularly eye-catching, and behind its setup lies a story of alumni generosity.
Dean of Student Affairs, Liang-Yi Hung, revealed that the large Christmas tree was donated by an overseas alumnus as a special Christmas gift to their alma mater. This low-profile alumnus, who was involved in the construction of the Student Activity Center 40 years ago, expressed joy at seeing the building still as solid as ever. With students under the stress of final exams and many international students unable to return home for the holidays, the alumni donated the tree to create a warm and welcoming campus environment. Accompanied by wishing cards and a wish wall, the tree’s presence exudes warmth and care. As a result, this activity was jointly planned by the Offices of Student and General Affairs, receiving strong support from President Shen. The hope is that NCKU students can enjoy happy learning and joyful growth on campus.
At the same time, a series of warm-up activities for the end of the semester have been launched. On December 19, the Student Association hosted a "Warm Winter" event, and on December 25, a Human Rights Concert. The Residence Services Division organized a gift exchange on December 24 and another warm-up activity on December 26. The Photography Club held a “Photo Party Exhibition” until December 21, showcasing 280 works by 46 international and Taiwanese photography enthusiasts on the lawn in front of the Kuang-Fu Campus Student Activity Center. The photos, casually hung like laundry, create an intimate and approachable exhibition experience, redefining the social possibilities of photography and inviting visitors to explore.
This year’s debut of the large Christmas tree attracted enthusiastic participation from students, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Two first-year students from the Chinese Department joyfully shared their excitement, saying it was their first time seeing such a tall Christmas tree up close. They made wishes for everyone to pass their finals, have a peaceful Christmas, and spend the holidays with loved ones.
Four third-year students from the Department of Electrical Engineering came together and excitedly remarked that it was their first time seeing such a large Christmas tree at NCKU. They ended their dinner gathering early to attend and wished all students success in their exams, jokingly adding their hope that everyone could find love this Christmas and enjoy a holiday filled with love and hope.
Several international students expressed their love for Christmas and their excitement to join the event. They noted that this was their first time celebrating Christmas in Taiwan, making the experience fresh and unique. A German student shared that he had only known about the Student Activity Center building before and was impressed by the large Christmas tree set up in the plaza. Together with friends from Mexico and the Netherlands, he wished everyone a Merry Christmas, reflecting on how past Christmases were usually spent with family. This year, celebrating with friends through campus activities felt entirely different and uniquely meaningful.
The wish wall around the tree was filled with heartfelt wishes from students, spreading warmth through simple messages: “Wishing everyone success in finals, peace, and happiness,” “Wishing everyone a warm Christmas,” “May your dreams come true and stay healthy,” and “Finals All Pass.” Each wish carried abundant hope and blessings, embodying the festive atmosphere and the care within the campus community.
For those who wish to capture the beautiful night view of the large Christmas tree in front of the Student Activity Center, the lighting will be available until the Lantern Festival next year (2025). The tree will be illuminated daily from 5:00 PM to midnight, with extended lighting until 5:00 AM on special dates such as Christmas Eve (December 24), New Year’s Eve (December 31), Lunar New Year’s Eve (January 28, 2025), and Lantern Festival (February 12, 2025), as announced on the university's website.
The large Christmas tree appearing for the first time on NCKU’s campus attracted the attention of many students. The tree-lighting ceremony on the evening of December 18 saw enthusiastic participation from students.
International students, who expressed their love for Christmas, joined the event and were impressed by the large Christmas tree.
Santa Claus moved through the event, spreading blessings and gifts, delighting the students.
The wish wall was filled with heartfelt wish cards from students.
President Meng-Ru Shen, along with administrative staff and faculty, participated in the tree-lighting ceremony, aiming to spread blessings through the warmth of Christmas gratitude and offer a vision of hope and warmth for the future.
