Tea as a Bridge

On the afternoon of December 7, the “Small Chinese–Argentine Tea Culture Exchange Event — Tea as a Bridge” was hosted by the Chinese Canadian Heritage and Future Foundation (CCHFF), supported by Dowill Holding, with catering services provided by Neue Catering, and was successfully held at the Origo Club in Richmond. The event unfolded in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. Using tea as a medium, guests from diverse cultural backgrounds engaged in sincere and in-depth cross-cultural conversations centered on culture, memory, and connection. Dowill Holding was pleased to participate in and support an exchange event that uses culture as a bridge to foster mutual understanding and community connection, and looks forward to continuing to promote dialogue and meaningful encounters between different cultures through concrete actions.

The event was hosted by Tim Zhang, President of CCHFF, who opened the gathering with a warm introduction, explaining the original intention of the event: to use tea as a shared language so that participants from different cultural backgrounds could engage in sincere dialogue and draw closer to one another in a relaxed and friendly environment. Following this, Michelle Li, Secretary of CCHFF, shared with the guests the bilingual storytelling podcast currently being prepared by the foundation, "Home Elsewhere". This podcast is dedicated to recording the real stories of immigrants and global citizens, presenting cross-cultural emotional heritage through sincere conversations, allowing life experiences that are often overlooked to be heard and remembered, and also hoping to build deeper connections among Canada’s diverse cultures through the power of voice.

After introducing the background of the event and the foundation’s projects, the host guided everyone into the first interactive segment of the day — self-introductions. Participants took turns sharing their backgrounds and their favorite teas, ranging from Chinese tea to mate, with each person’s story carrying a unique cultural imprint. A particularly noteworthy highlight of this event was the presence of two guests from the Argentine community. Lucas, President of the Arriba el Mate Foundation, has long been dedicated to promoting Argentine culture in Vancouver, and he also shared on-site his deep emotional connection with mate. The other participant, Paula, has a very in-depth understanding of mate preparation methods and its health benefits, and her experience and explanations were eye-opening for many guests who were encountering mate for the first time. Their presence added an authentic and vivid Latin American cultural perspective to the event, making the cultural exchange on-site more multi-dimensional and lively.

In the subsequent mate culture sharing segment, Paula provided a rich and detailed explanation for everyone. In order to help guests who were encountering mate for the first time gain a more systematic understanding of its origins and cultural background, she had specially prepared printed materials covering the history of mate, its production methods, and drinking customs. This thoughtful preparation made the learning experience more comprehensive and allowed participants to first understand the cultural significance behind mate before tasting it. During the demonstration, Paula taught everyone on-site how to properly prepare mate, from placing the yerba, shaking the cup, adding water, to using the specially designed metal straw, with each step feeling fresh and novel to the guests. She also introduced the traditional way Argentinians drink mate: everyone shares the same cup, and after the previous person finishes drinking, that person refills it with water and passes it to the next. This custom reflects the values of trust, sharing, and community connection in Argentine culture. Considering cultural differences and the possibility that guests might not be accustomed to sharing a single cup, this segment was specially prepared with multiple small cups and individual straws, allowing everyone to experience the authentic flavor of mate while participating in the interaction in a comfortable manner.

After experiencing the richly South American–flavored mate, the event then moved into the Chinese tea culture sharing segment, presented by Sharon, who delivered an elegant and professional tea culture demonstration. Sharon introduced the historical development of Chinese tea in a concise and clear manner, from its earliest origins as a medicinal drink to its gradual evolution into a rich and diverse tea culture, giving guests a clear overall understanding of the profound heritage of Chinese tea. In the practical demonstration, Sharon showcased her professional expertise in tea art — from warming the cups, adding the tea leaves, pouring the water, to serving the tea — each movement was smooth and steady, allowing guests to jointly experience, through sight and smell, the layered transformations of tea aroma. To enhance the immersive atmosphere, Sharon specifically selected traditional Chinese instrumental music as background music. As the melodious music filled the space, guests entered the poetic realm of Eastern tea culture together with the music and the fragrance of tea. As a gesture of appreciation for the Argentine guests who had traveled from afar to participate in the event, the organizers also presented them with Chinese tea packages and small tea cups at the conclusion of this segment.

This tea-centered cultural exchange event brought people from different backgrounds closer together through cups of fragrant tea, and allowed cross-cultural understanding and connection to truly take place in the diverse city of Vancouver. Dowill Holding firmly believes that vibrant and lasting community connections are rooted in sincere communication and sustained participation. Looking ahead, we will continue to support and take part in more cultural and community exchange initiatives like this, working alongside partners from diverse backgrounds to advance multicultural dialogue, allowing understanding to grow through encounters and connections to continue across the city.