
“Looking back on these 15 years, it feels like a magical journey,” Chair Stanley Yen said with a smile as he reflected on the 15th anniversary of The Alliance Cultural Foundation (ACF). From early dreams and doubts to tangible achievements, this journey owes its success to three key elements – a visionary leader, a dedicated team, and the support of benefactors behind-the-scenes.
Chair Yen, who strives to think ahead with vision, is guided by the belief that ‘culture is the foundation of a society’s path to civilization.’ During his tenure as president of Landis Hotels and Resorts, he championed the integration of art and culture, forged global friendships, and supported numerous music, cultural, and social welfare initiatives. This vision transitioned seamlessly to ACF, symbolized by his hand-drawn logo – a group of people working together to lift a platform, creating a stage for talent to shine.

Individually, one can move fast, but together, we can go further…
Chair Yen expressed profound gratitude for the many supporters who stood by him over the past 15 years. In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated Taiwan, and a flood of donations poured into the affected areas. While donations provided immediate surface level relief, Chair Yen questioned whether a sustainable plan could maximize the impact of these funds.
At the time, during a board meeting of the Ting Tsung & Wei Fong Chao Foundation, Chair James Chao entrusted Chair Yen with NT$3 million in excess funds from the foundation, urging him to help put it into good use. This unexpected financial support sparked a chain reaction. Chair Yen accepted NT$2 million, invited nine business friends to contribute NT$2 million each, and committed to amplifying this power tenfold over five years. December 2009, ACF was officially established in Taitung. What began with efforts in exploring sustainable pathways post-disaster has now flourished, with each of the founding board members continuing to support its initiatives for 15 years. As a result, nurturing local talent for sustainable development, establishing Junyi School of Innovation as an inclusive international experimental school to serve as a transformative base for education, and utilizing the Paul Chiang Art Center to drive Huatung’s international reach have become three key pillars in ACF’s blueprint for Huatung’s sustainable future.
Fostering Local Talent
Over a decade ago, Chair Yen remarked, “Taitung has excellent fishing harbours, and just beyond the Coastal Mountain Range lies Chishang, known for its quality rice. If the local seafood and rice could be combined into specialty sushi, it could add value to our resources. Similarly, a fusion of millet wine and sparkling wine could create a unique champagne-like experience for high-end dining.”
Taitung’s charm isn’t limited to its breathtaking mountains and sea. The richness of its indigenous culture, exquisite craftsmanship, and simple lifestyle rooted in its slow living present a new lens for Taiwan to interpret life and civilization.
Thus, ACF began nurturing talent through vocational education, supporting cultural development tied to the land and sea. Some projects included the rebuilding of the Pakelang Boat House in Changbin and the Pisirian Community Center in Sanxiantai. It has supported the Cotton & Hemp House in Longchang, with its unique aesthetics and weaving craftsmanship, the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum in Yanping Township, the Gaoshan Forest Center in Hualien’s Fengbin Township, and Sakinu’s Hunter School, among others.
It has also brought in industry experts to introduce courses that use local rice and seafood to teach Japanese cuisine at National Cheng Kung Commercial & Aquaculture Senior Vocational High, provide training in B&B management, and train tourism guides. These efforts transformed the township from a mere transit point into a destination for in-depth tourism. By leveraging the natural advantages of Huatung, it has nurtured second specializations in sports and sports health protection for students at National Taitung University Affiliated Physical Education Senior High School. Furthermore, it has enhanced the curriculum in mechanical processing, woodworking, and architecture at Kung-Tung Technical Senior High School, which was developed over a decade ago. These initiatives have connected various local strengths. ACF also fostered sustainable development alliances, such as the Binbin Ecotourism Alliance in Changbin and Fengbin, and connected entrepreneurs along Taitung’s coastal areas with the Island Life Co-Learning Group.

Expanding Horizons
ACF also encouraged youths to learn abroad. Beginning in 2012, ACF formed a partnership with the Polynesian Cultural Center and Brigham Young University launching the Asia Executive Management Program, an eight-month leadership program, supporting one youth annually to Hawaiʻi to explore indigenous culture. Recognizing the need for broader participation, in 2016, ACF initiated the Hawaiʻi Cultural Sustainability Educational Tour, a two-week cultural learning program in Hawaiʻi. Participants returned and established the Hualien-Taitung Cultural Sustainability Co-Learning Group which now boasts approximately 80 members.
Numerous studies, both local and international, indicate that Taiwan is the origin of the Austronesian language family. To this day, some vocabulary used by Austronesian language countries and Taiwan’s indigenous peoples remains closely related. ACF’s initiatives with Hawaiʻi have created direct associations with the Austronesian culture, allowing people to experience firsthand how Hawaiʻians integrate tradition into modern life and coexist with the sea. One member of the sustainability co-learning group, Yu-Lun Huang, an assistant researcher at the National Taiwan Museum of Prehistory, found inspiration during her trip to Hawaiʻi. As part of the curatorial team for the museum’s Austronesian Hall, she remarked, “This was my first visit to Hawaiʻi and my initial exploration of the Pacific region. At the time, I had no idea it would become the foundation for my work over the next five years.” In the Austronesian Hall, her main goal is to present stories about “us.”
In 2020, Yvonne Chiang, passionate about outrigger canoes – a common maritime tool among Austronesians, returned to Taiwan from California. Her passion facilitated numerous exchanges between Hawaiʻi and Taitung, led to the founding of the Taiwan Outrigger Canoe Club, and the formation of the Taitung Austronesian team to participate in international canoeing competitions. Over the past two years, her efforts have extended into schools, where children are introduced to canoeing firsthand. She has also organized boatbuilding camps that blend forest wisdom, ocean culture, and traditional customs. Through her actions and passion, Yvonne Chiang has helped those who love the ocean recognize the value of Austronesian culture in Taiwan.
Chair Yen reflected, “Progress often requires patience, resilience in the face of failure, and readiness for opportunities.” ACF’s support has gradually empowered local partners to establish a deep connection with sustainable tourism and Austronesian culture, sharing the region’s unique story with visitors from afar.
Cultivating Talent through Junyi School of Innovation
Taitung’s population, at just 200,000, accounts for only 1% of Taiwan’s total. In the county, 55% of its elementary schools have fewer than 60 students, with limited resources. When Chair Yen first established ACF, his initial intention was merely to find an abandoned elementary school and invite outstanding educators in the fields of culture and the arts to conduct short-term programs that would inspire the innate talents of indigenous children. However, during the first couple of years, after visiting and observing the tribal communities firsthand, he realized that true change in Huatung must begin with education.
In 2011, Master Hsing-Yun of Fo Guang Shan entrusted the Junyi School of Innovation entirely to Chair Yen. Chair Yen firmly believes that the most critical aspects of education are nurturing good character, life competencies, and a strong work ethic alongside practical skills. Of these three pillars, the first – developing good character, integrates moral responsibility, empathy, and critical thinking into the educational framework.
In an era of rapid technological advancement, educators must base their teaching on the world that children live in and face, cultivating a life perspective and civic literacy rooted in character. Over the years, Junyi has embraced interdisciplinary learning across arts, culture, and various subjects, helping students discover and develop their strengths. This approach enables children to understand themselves, respond to future challenges, and find their direction in life, enriching their well-being in a fast-changing world.
Boarding life plays an important role in rural education. Located in remote areas between mountains and the sea, schools are scattered, and many children must leave home to attend schools in the cities after graduating from elementary or middle school. Junyi provides a stable and secure boarding environment that nurtures students’ independence, character, and attitudes toward life. The school also employs foreign teachers to encourage the use of English in daily life. Through a mix of engaging and reflective activities in the dormitories, students learn self-leadership and teamwork. This has become a significant model at Junyi.

To cultivate global talent, Junyi established the Junyi Innovative Study Abroad Program in 2017. Currently, students from Junyi have been supported to study in 15 different countries. The diverse backgrounds of teachers and students, along with varied learning methods, have broadened capacities for inclusivity, enabling them to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds around the world with greater understanding.
To maximize the use of Junyi’s dormitory space over the summer holidays, the school collaborates with partners such as Taipei American School, Kehua Cultural Foundation, Gosh Foundation, and Harvest 365 to host diverse thematic summer camps. These camps provide students from under-resourced backgrounds with opportunities to build confidence and develop their talents through communal living, singing, drama, and a variety of engaging activities, all guided by passionate teachers and volunteers. Additionally, the camps foster a strong spirit of volunteerism.
“Managing Junyi has been a challenging endeavour – it is truly the road less travelled,” said Chair Yen. Throughout this journey, he deeply appreciates the organizations that share the vision of changing the current state of education. These organizations drive change with strong agency while establishing close connections with Junyi, such as Junyi Academy, Chengzhi Educational Foundation’s KIST charter schools, Sharestart, Education Support for Taiwan, and teacher Wen-Yu Su, who is dedicated to teaching programming to children in rural areas.

Art Promotion and the Unplanned Paul Chiang Art Center
During his time at Landis, Chair Yen quietly served as a promoter of culture. “I know that art can lead society toward civilization, but I never believed I had the ability to make it monumental,” he said. Having loved classical music and art since his youth, he never imagined that many years later, his own cultural literacy could become a force to influence others. In 2004, together with violinist Nai-Yuan Hu, he co-founded Taiwan Connection (TC), a music festival that brings together outstanding local and international musicians to Taiwan. It also promotes a music appreciation program for children in rural areas, inviting students to concert halls to enjoy classical music or bringing musicians into schools to perform.
Chair Yen had known artist Paul Chiang since his time at Landis, but it wasn’t until 2008 when Paul Chiang settled in Jinzun that their friendship developed. Later, he learned that Paul Chiang harboured a dream of building an art center, and together, they started dreaming of creating a space where visitors could immerse themselves in art, experiencing the beauty of nature and architecture in harmony.

Chair Yen said, “Huatung has always had a wealth of artistic and cultural energy, yet it lacked an international draw. Perhaps the Paul Chiang Art Center is the key opportunity for Huatung to step onto the international stage. Entrepreneurs who value art extended a helping hand at critical moments, helping to resolve challenges such as the shortage of construction funds.” Now, the art center is steadily moving forward, with plans to officially open to the public on 15 March 2025.
Planting seeds of hope to sprout and building platforms for dreams to soar…
The American philosopher, architect, and inventor R. Buckminster Fuller once said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
In the past, in pursuit of his vision, Chair Yen published books, gave speeches, and engaged in multiple discussions with government officials. However, the results were limited. He decided to roll-up his sleeves and lead by example, hoping to make a difference through his actions.
Having witnessed countless inspiring individuals in his youth, Chair Yen said, “When you have truly passed through that stage of understanding, it is called ‘crossing’; if you have not yet passed through, you are still in the stage of ‘cultivation.’” After establishing ACF, he frequently travels between Taipei and Taitung, leading a simple and low-key lifestyle, living in a 500 square foot rental home in Taitung. He lives a simple life, with a treadmill being his greatest luxury.
At 77 years old, Chair Yen remains deeply concerned about the impact of technological development on humanity. He describes himself as a “binge-listener” to the speeches of AI thought leaders such as Sam Altman, Mo Gawdat, Geoffrey E. Hinton, and Yuval Noah Harari. At the same time, he believes that the unique advantages of Huatung will align with the global trends of the future.
He once privately shared with his team that he had written down his hopes for the sustainability of Huatung and, in collaboration with ChatGPT, created a poem.
Back Mountain, The First to Greet the Sun
Once,
we were the back mountain,
regarded as the late-coming corner,
a silent land,
between mountains and sea, stretching in solitude.
Though the sunlight reached first,
it was always ignored,
as if it existed only to highlight others’ brilliance.
However, time passed,
the noise faded,
and this place became the last sanctuary.
The air remains pure,
like a newborn’s breath;
The culture remains rich,
like the whispers of ancestral spirits;
The land remains gentle,bearing hope and the future.
Back mountain,
is no longer just a corner of the map,
but a blueprint longed for by humanity.
Here,
we see the first light of the sun,
and also the final homecoming.

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