On the afternoon of December 1, the warm early-winter sunshine of the season streamed through the glass windows into the first floor of the Party and Community Service Center of Guanshan Community in Nantong Innovation District. In the “Home for International Friends” area, six foreign residents, four international volunteers, nearly ten Chinese volunteers, and community staff members sat around a table together, learning to sew sachets made of traditional blue-printed cloth. Needles and threads moved lightly in the air, accompanied by continuous laughter and friendly conversations, forming a warm picture of cultural integration and mutual learning. Guanshan Community currently has nearly ten thousand residents, including more than 500 foreign friends from various countries and regions around the world. In order to build a more inclusive and caring international “big family,” the community has carried out grassroots initiatives centered on service, warmth, and practical engagement. Through these lively and meaningful local practices, Guanshan has presented its own distinctive “Guanshan Answer Sheet,” promoting greater tolerance, understanding, and heartfelt connection among Chinese and foreign residents alike.

From “Hello” to “We,” Building a Home for International Friends

Upon entering the Guanshan Community Party and Public Service Center, visitors are immediately greeted by a vibrant international atmosphere. Clear and eye-catching bilingual signs in both Chinese and English mark the entrance, while colorful guiding lines on the floor act like symbolic ties, linking the various service and activity zones. English-language newspapers, international flags, and wall clocks showing different world time zones decorate the space. More than an administrative service point, this center serves as a shared venue where Chinese and foreign residents can gather, chat, and interact freely. It is not only a place for handling community affairs, but also an open and welcoming common area that encourages communication and connection among all.

“Such a lively and cheerful atmosphere—so bustling!” a resident remarked while coming for business consultation on the day of the sachet-making event. All integration begins with the first point of contact. The community has formed online interest group chats and extended proactive invitations for offline discussions, linking the preferences of foreign residents with diverse local activities, and through these efforts the distance between neighbors was quickly narrowed. Initiatives such as the first “Foreign Teachers Are Here” experience class, traditional Chinese folk culture events, and celebrations of international festivals have helped transform the anxiety of newcomers into a sense of belonging. In the “Home for International Friends,” a single event, a cup of coffee, or a moment of casual conversation enables residents to complete the meaningful shift in identity—from “hello” to “we.”

Thomas from Sweden is a frequent participant in community activities. While sewing blue-printed sachets together with volunteers, he became a devoted student of Chinese culture. When cooking homestyle dishes in the community cafeteria, he turned into a promoter recommending the flavors of his hometown. At tea gatherings and movie nights, he transformed into an enthusiastic social figure, making like-minded friends. He said, “Although I have not lived in this community for long, I already feel the warmth, vitality, and liveliness of a real home.” Thomas also shared his heartfelt reflections: “The light in the film shines into our lives, and the love around us will last even longer than the film itself.”

Building an internationalized community is never a matter of simple translation of language, but rather a process of mutual emotional connection. During this period, the staff members of Guanshan Community have maintained an open, inclusive, and eager-to-learn attitude, continuously improving their bilingual communication skills and enhancing the efficiency of daily service and interaction.

Establishing FIve Volunteer Teams to Create an International Concentric Circle

In order to better serve the development of an internationalized community and to build a bridge of understanding and shared growth among Chinese and foreign residents, Guanshan Community has established five distinctive international volunteer service teams. Like multicolored threads, these teams are woven together to form a community network filled with warmth and mutual support, creating a harmonious web of coexistence.

As a team that brings together caring volunteers from both China and abroad, the PLS International Volunteer Service Center is actively engaged in diverse community service fields such as supporting the elderly, caring for children, assisting people with disabilities, and helping small animals. The center also appoints foreign volunteers who have lived in the community for a long time and are familiar with local conditions to serve as “community ambassadors,” helping newly arrived international residents adapt to local life and integrate smoothly into the community.

The International Volunteer Team from Nantong University is formed with students from the School of Foreign Languages and the International Education College as its core strength. Making full use of their academic expertise, they have built communication bridges through practical and engaging grassroots initiatives, including experience classes such as “Foreign Teachers Are Here” and multicultural reading programs like the “Good Neighbor Book Bar.” A series of diverse local activities have brought warmth, vitality, and a strong sense of connection to the community, achieving mutual cultural enrichment among residents.

Under the leadership of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, the Motherly Love Academy Volunteer Service Team has taken root in the community. Made up of enthusiastic and experienced “caring mothers” from the neighborhood, the team serves as a professional group for family-education outreach. Through a series of regularly held signature activities, it has built a solid platform for parents to learn and exchange ideas, and actively encourages both Chinese and international families in the community to share parenting experience and cultural wisdom.

The “Medical Pathfinders” International Volunteer Service Team, led by key professionals from Nantong First People’s Hospital, has consistently put the medical profession’s original mission into practice through concrete service. Focusing on the health needs of older adults, the team organizes free health consultations, traditional Chinese medicine services, and other related activities. Through health counseling and hands-on experiences with advanced medical technologies, residents can benefit from medical progress right in their own neighborhood.

The “Little Green Sprouts” Child Protection Team brings together partners from multiple community co-construction institutions, including the Nantong Branch of Ping An Insurance, the Zilang Lake Police Station, Zhidao Law Firm, and other local organizations. The team is committed to building a strong safety shield to support the healthy growth of children, and to creating a secure and caring environment for every family. In addition, it devotes its efforts to special initiatives such as assistance for children in difficult circumstances, volunteer support during examinations, and care for migrant children, ensuring that every child is warmly supported and perceptibly protected within the community.

Building an Inclusive Community Ecosystem and Telling the Warm Guanshan Story

On the exploratory path of building an internationalized community and expanding volunteer services, Guanshan Community has never stopped moving forward. With International Volunteer Day approaching, the community will host a special event themed “Volunteers Walking Together, Spreading Fragrance Along the Way,” during which five volunteer service teams will carry out activities in their respective fields. Coinciding with the national “Four 100” Advanced Volunteer Service Exchange Program, Guanshan Community will also organize an on-site charity sale. More than 50 Chinese and foreign parent–child families will be invited to participate, showcasing the solid achievements and meaningful outcomes of community volunteer services.

The ultimate goal of building an internationalized community is to be truly without boundaries, breaking down the limits of language, culture, and nationality to create a genuine community of shared purpose. Based on this guiding principle, Guanshan Community has not only strengthened communication between Chinese and foreign residents through concrete actions, but also cultivated a friendly and caring neighborhood living circle. At the same time, it actively encourages foreign residents to participate in grassroots community governance and become partners in the development of an inclusive local ecosystem.

Through the chain of community collaboration, some foreign residents have already become active support forces for local development. They have served as gentle uncles reading picture books with children, and as international mothers working side by side with the Pianta Child Care Center to accompany children with special needs. One autism-affected child even presented a hand-painted T-shirt to international guests from the United Nations, while Thomas from Sweden shared his reflections on the experience. These practical initiatives have fostered a heartfelt sense of belonging among all participants. Magnus, a volunteer from Sweden, was highly praised for bravely rescuing a person who had fallen into the water. The rescued family traveled more than two thousand kilometers from Wenshan, Yunnan Province to Nantong to express their gratitude in person. This moving act of great love once again proved that genuine compassion knows no distance and no borders.

From the warm launch of the Home for International Friends, to the establishment of five distinctive volunteer service teams, and to the continued expansion of the community ecosystem looking toward the future, Guanshan Community is writing its own vivid answer sheet through concrete service, emotional connection, and practical engagement. Here, the transformation from a place far from home into a true home is not merely a slogan, but a living reality shown in the everyday stories of residents. Volunteer service has become more than a means of spreading love and kindness. It has grown into an emotional language that crosses national boundaries, portraying a narrative of openness, inclusion, warmth, and shared growth.