Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 (hereinafter referred to as “TaiNEX 1”) has been up and running for more than 10 years, and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2 (hereinafter referred to as “TaiNEX 2”) opened in March 2019. Both TaiNEX 1 and TaiNEX 2 focused on educational activities for the first time by hosting a summer camp for elementary school children. Registration priority was given to children raised by grandparents or from disadvantaged families, immigrant families, or other families with needs for social resources.
Our colleagues who organized the camp have dedicated themselves and their networking resources to designing more than 50 sessions of interesting activities for children. These activities included the popular 7-11 store little manager day, which taught the children about the passion and work ethic needed in customer service. A variety of DIY courses helped the children become more focused and learn to exercise their imagination. Their work in turn often amazed us. Our colleagues with engineering background provided science experiments that demonstrated basic science through games and hands-on activities. The brainstorming games and outdoor exercises provided plenty of interactive learning, which enabled the children to connect with other participants in the shortest time, and helped them work better together as a team. Meanwhile, the weekly highlight activities, such as adventures in the exhibition halls and the visits to Taiwanese Excellence Pavilion, gave the children a better understanding of the exhibition halls and TAITRA’s business activities.
On August 26, the last day of the camp, both exhibition hall directors and the local village chiefs accompanied the children on a trip to visit Chairman James Huang in the World Trade Center. It must be the loveliest day in James’ office due to the innocent and pure remarks from the children. After the trip, the children went to Taipei 101 Observatory and dined at Din Tai Fung. They also visited Taitra International trade institute and interacted with foreign teachers. The itinerary was bound to leave these kids an unforgettable memory. At the final presentation, we invited the parents to watch an excellent performance made by their children. The children danced and sang on stage, and shared what they made and what they learned at the camp. We wanted to sow a good karma in children through the event. As the theme song of this camp “the firefly song”, we encouraged the children to do their best and have hope in a dark world. Our colleagues not only spent time with the children, but also endeavored themselves wholeheartedly into the camp. They shared their own stories with the children, and learned more from the camp and from each other in return.
Following the summer camp’s suit, TaiNEX 2, which opened on March 4, 2019, brings fresh energy into the MICE industry and fuels regional development in Nangang District. To encourage and help outstanding students from low-income families finish school and to fulfill CSR (corporate social responsibility), we have created the Scholarship for Outstanding Junior High School and Elementary School Students from Low-income Families in Nangang District. TaiNEX 2 offers scholarships to students from lower-income families who have been registered residents of Nangang District for six or more months and are currently studying in one of the four junior high schools and seven elementary schools in Nangang District. These scholarships are offered twice a year at the beginning of each semester, and awarded to nine students at each school. Junior high school recipients receive NT$8,300 per semester, and elementary school recipients NT$3,200. We provide more than NT$1 million in total scholarships a year as part of our effort to give back to the community.
Furthermore, in response to the call for blood donations, Taipei International Convention Center and Taiwan World Trade Center teamed up again to host a blood donation drive in 2019. A carefully planned promotional campaign and plenty of advertising on the TICC Facebook page ahead of the event led to its success. Many of our colleagues as well as employees of nearby companies donated blood. A total of 71 bags of blood were collected, and received a certificate of appreciation from the Taipei blood center, TBSF.