Chair’s Message Year End 2025: Reflections & Looking Ahead

As another year draws to a close, it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect.

SATAI was created with a simple yet meaningful intention: to foster friendship, understanding, and connection between South Africa and Taiwan.

Over time, it has grown into something more than an idea on paper. It has become a living community, shaped by many hands, many stories, and many small acts of commitment.

Looking back on the past year, I feel deeply grateful. Grateful for our Board members, committee heads, volunteers, partners, and members. Each of you has carried a piece of the flame in your own way.

In Mandarin, there is a beautiful phrase: 感謝一路同行 thank you for walking this path together.

As we step into a new year, SATAI enters a new phase of maturity.

At the heart of SATAI is a belief we hold strongly: that meaningful organisations are not built from the top down, but built together including everyone’s voice.

With this spirit in mind, early 2026 will see us hosting two SATAI Leadership & Community Retreats (31st January / 28th February) hosted at SATAI HQ in ChiaYi City.

These retreats are relaxed, fun spaces for connection, conversation, shared reflection, and forward thinking.

A place to understand how SATAI works, where it is heading, and how each person can contribute… whether through leadership, support, ideas, or simply showing up.

This is also a chance to reconnect as a community: to talk, to laugh, to share a meal, to braai and sit around a fire, and to remember why community matters, especially when we are far from home.

I warmly invite members, as well as friends who are curious about SATAI, to keep an eye open and consider joining us for one of these retreat gatherings.

As Chair, it has been an honour to serve this Association and to walk alongside so many committed people. I look forward to what we will continue to build through trust, dialogue, and shared purpose.

From my family to yours, I wish you a peaceful close to the year, and a new year filled with health, connection, and quiet confidence.

新年快樂，萬事如意 Happy New Year and all the best for 2026!

Warm regards,

Mary Mullan Christie Chairperson,

台灣南非交流協會 SATAI（South Africa Taiwan Association of Interexchange）