National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) held an Award Celebration and Youth Empowerment Workshop on January 10, 2026, to honor Distinguished Honorary Doctor YU Kan-ping for receiving Taiwan’s 24th National Award for Arts and the Service for Indigenous Education Award presented by the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) in 2025. The event was organized by Professor Jolan Hsieh (Bavaragh Dagalonai 謝若蘭）, Director of the Center for International Indigenous Affairs, and brought together faculty, students, Indigenous community leaders, and cultural practitioners.

For more than four decades, Director Yu has dedicated his career to documentary filmmaking and visual production, documenting the lives, ceremonial practices, and historical memories of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples. In recent years, he has returned to the educational field as an Honorary Professor and guest lecturer in NDHU’s Department of Indigenous Languages and Communication, where he shares his professional expertise and ethical approach to filmmaking with emerging generations of creators.

Professor Hsieh noted that Director Yu’s receipt of the WINHEC Service for Indigenous Education Award reflects his long-standing commitment to Indigenous education through visual practice. She emphasized that his work is grounded in partnership rather than representation, enabling Indigenous communities to exercise cultural subjectivity and knowledge sovereignty through self-narration.

She further highlighted Director Yu’s enduring contribution to youth empowerment, noting that his mentorship-based teaching has cultivated young filmmakers who are not only technically skilled but also socially and culturally responsible. Through this approach, youth become active agents in cultural action and democratic education.

Director Yu is also widely respected for donating more than 3,000 reels of audiovisual materials to the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute, making these invaluable resources publicly accessible for education and research. This contribution represents a lasting legacy for Taiwan’s audiovisual history and Indigenous cultural preservation.

NDHU stated that Director Yu’s recognition by both the National Arts Award and WINHEC underscores the vital role of visual media, education, and Indigenous knowledge in contemporary society. The University reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnerships with Indigenous communities and younger generations, ensuring that film and education continue to advance cultural respect, Indigenous education, and meaningful social dialogue.

《➜English Version》