Thursday, September 4, 2008

My Personal Reflction on 2008 Folk School

1-Introduction

Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School is a training course aim to share Korea democracy history and movement particular the May 18 Democratic uprising to activists’ worker who has been working for human rights, democracy and peace in Asia. Every year the May 18 Memorial Foundation invite 25 participants over Asia and divided into three levels, 10 participants in Junior level, 10 in Middle Manager level and 5 in Senior level.
In this year, 2008 Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School was processed at venue in Chosun University and several relational places with the May 18 Memorial Foundation and May 18 democratic uprising, from August 11-28, 2008. Organized by The May 18 Memorial Foundation and supported by SungKongHoe University, Korea Democracy Foundation (KDF) and Pusan Democratic Movement Memorial Association. Twenty-five participants were invited, unfortunately one participant couldn’t inside Korea and other one didn’t come. The participants had learned in seminars from important guest speakers and professor from Seoul, Pusan and Gwangju who had working long years experience on Democracy and expert in Asia movement. Group workshops, discussions, organization and country presentation had been raised to exchange ideas among participants toward for new experience and build network. Field trip to particular place which relevant to the May 18 democratic uprising.


2-Experance and implementation

I had worked on 2008 Directory Book when I learned from Folk School, so I didn’t have much information and documents before upcoming event. On August 09, 2008, we had gone to Chosun University before we leaved office for setup material at venues. to run our program was need a lot of man made resource because it supported to our demand and participants, such as we prepared processing rooms, Tables and chairs, witness Stands, office products, a photocopy machine and printer, LCD projectors and speakers, table telephone, two accessing internet computers, setup coffee break table and two sofas, and other necessary materials. The works still not finish yet. After day we still made sure at Chousun University while participants were arriving. I also went to pick up five participants from bus terminal.
On 11, 2008, at 9:00AM was the time for Opening Ceremony and Orientation by the Chairman of The May 18 Memorial Foundation, Mr. Kwang Jang Yoon gave his welcome remark. At the same day and day after I got sessions from eight professors such as, Prof. Gueseok Yang din of SunKongHoe University, Prof. Lee Gwangsoo from Busan University of Foreign Studie, Prof. George Kasiaficasa visiting professor from US, Prof. Haksoon Paik from Sejong Institute, Prof. Young-jong Jin from SungKongHoe University, Prof. Wondam Baek from SungkongHoe University, Prof. II Jun Chung Korea Univesity, and Prof. Francis Lee from ARENA.

I am so appreciated what they said, they compared the democracy in Korea with Asia and US. Especially, they had deep explanation about May 18 democratic uprising which their own personal survey experience. Anyway prof. Guenseok Yang had mention comparing dictatorship and atrocity during the May 18 democratic uprising with candle light virgin. He also presented important of media that government had trying to control all programs of TV and broadcasting that had changed staffs and structure management, which showed that Korean government nowadays want to increase dictatorship power. It remanded me that how important of the media in society and it also the reason that why Cambodians’ government success to ban the voice of peoples.

I got many sessions from difference source guest speaker and participants that make me understand many issues around Asia as well as South Korea. For my reflection of sessions orientated in issues it always makes me thinking to strategic and experience how to deal with the issue how to do advocacy with dictatorship governance.
Below are some strategies I had notice to get attention from government;
- Awareness raising campaign in perspective countries and in regional such as Media, forum, website press, petition, join statement, manifesto, clarification of National Security)
- Build networks with other human rights mechanism
- Create South East Asia, East Asia, South Asia secretariat
- Lobby for the creation of human rights body in Asian Charter
- Develop directory of victims
- Conduct fact finding (research, survey…)
- Seek for fund to support projects
- build regional and international network
- Education programs
- Make and improve solidarity in society programs to all levels.
- build community which strong network with other community

Other point of my survey, if we want to do big responsibility, we must to understand from the ground level. Anyway the ground step is more complicated work then top level, because most of time they can’t make their own decision. So the top level must share the right information and divide specific responsibility is better, this experience is relevant to organizing and management which I learn from my work.

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