Theme
Taiwan has 268 mountains with elevations above 3,000 meters distributed across its 36,000 square kilometers of land. The diverse terrain and climate have created a rich natural ecology in Taiwan. The indigenous peoples of the island originally had a very close relationship with nature, relying mainly on gathering, hunting, and simple farming and animal husbandry as their basic way of life, living in harmony with nature.
TIn the 1980s and 1990s, as Taiwan's democratic consciousness grew, there was also an increasing focus on environmental issues, and nature was once again seen as an indispensable part of sustainable living, with significant impacts on human survival, health, happiness, and growth. In recent years, the Taiwanese government and civil society have continuously worked together to develop various forms of green care work, including adventure therapy, horticultural therapy, animal-assisted therapy, forest therapy, and other fields, all of which have flourished in Taiwan.
400 years ago, it is often cited in historical studies that the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in Taiwan in 1624 marked the beginning of the impact of the Age of Discovery on Taiwan. From then on, Taiwan became a global arena for economic, military, and political struggles. Various external forces gradually poured into Taiwan, and with the continuous influx of people from outside the island, natural resources were relentlessly exploited as consumable commodities for survival and development. Nature was continuously ravaged by indiscriminate development. The 1970s was arguably the peak of environmental destruction in Taiwan, with forest coverage at that time being reduced by about half compared to 400 years ago.
400 years ago, it is often cited in historical studies that the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in Taiwan in 1624 marked the beginning of the impact of the Age of Discovery on Taiwan. From then on, Taiwan became a global arena for economic, military, and political struggles. Various external forces gradually poured into Taiwan, and with the continuous influx of people from outside the island, natural resources were relentlessly exploited as consumable commodities for survival and development. Nature was continuously ravaged by indiscriminate development. The 1970s was arguably the peak of environmental destruction in Taiwan, with forest coverage at that time being reduced by about half compared to 400 years ago.
THEME
Connecting with nature can promote healing and well-being
The 10th International Adventure Therapy Conference will be held in 2025, coinciding with the 400-year mark of drastic changes in Taiwan’s natural environment. However, the power of nature has already reawakened, and due to global warming and the rampage of COVID-19, it is constantly reminding the world of the importance of rebuilding the relationship between humans and nature. Against this unique backdrop, we propose “The Healing Power of Nature” as the theme for this conference
