1-Introduction
Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School is a training course aim to share Korean democracy history and movement particularly the May 18 Democratic uprising to Asian activists’ worker who has been working for human rights, democracy and peace in Asian. Every year the May 18 Memorial Foundation invites 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 held at Chosun University and several related places with the May 18 Memorial Foundation and May 18 democratic uprising, from August 11-28, 2008. This event was 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 get inside Korea and another didn’t make it. The participants had learned a lot from the important guest speakers and professor from Seoul, Pusan and Gwangju who had working long years experience on Democracy and expert in Asian democratization movement. Group workshops, discussions, organization and country presentations were exchanged. As well as ideas and other new experiences and building network. Field trip to particular place which relevant to the May 18 democratic uprising were also made.
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 the event. On August 09, 2008, we had gone to Chosun University before we left office me setup materials for the venues. Running our program need a lot of human resource to support the demands and needs of participants. We prepared processing rooms, Tables and chairs, podium, office products, a photocopy machine and printer, LCD projectors and speakers, table telephone, two PC with internet, setup coffee break table and two sofas, and other necessary materials. The works still not finish yet. Preparations were made at Chousun University while participants were arriving. I also went to pick up five participants from the 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. Day after day I attended 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 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 mentioned and compared dictatorship and atrocity during the May 18 democratic uprising with candle light vigi. He also presented importance 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 reminded me how important media in society and it also the reason that why Cambodians’ government success to ban the voice of peoples.
I attended many sessions from different resource speakers and participants that made me understand many issues around Asia as well as South Korea. For my reflection of sessions orientated on issues it always made me think of strategies and on how to deal with the issues and how to do advocacy with dictatorial regime.
Below are some strategies that get attention from government;
- Awareness raising campaign in particular perspective of each countries and region 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 points I learned, if we want to take on big responsibility, we must understand from the ground level. Anyway the ground step is more complicated work than the 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.
3. Personal Recommendation and Suggestion
My recommendation and suggestion is meat to improve on our work but I just would like to share my opinion on our program. I hope our Folk School will be more famous, interesting and get more appreciation from people over Asia.
All participants must inform the organizers when they reach Incheun Airport. To make sure that immigration officers allow our participants to enter South Korea. Like this year, we had an experience with Mr. Kieratikam Techavadranakool of Rainbow Dream Group from Thailand. They should also to inform our organizers their arriving time in Gwangju.
The similar above point, when participants are reaching U-square bus terminal or Gwangju Airport, they should call the organizer if they need transportation and so it will be easy to do the follow up work. Anyway we should make a rank for contact person of specific responsibility, to make coordination work more smoothly. And the person, who is in change of pick up participants, should have a paper or list of participants.
I am not really sure that we had inform participants of the living condition in dormitory before they come or not, some participants ask me to get towel, no cup in dormitory or feel uncomfortable with sharing bath room. So if we can inform participants ahead, what things we are providing and what are the daily and important things needed to bring to venues and during programs. And other point sending program schedule before they come.
Some time participants were not punctual in many of reasons. I think we must try more to motivate participants’ feeling to have attention to join all sessions and to not press door bell.
Complain from participants never end but we should try to learn more from real situation and find out solutions. Many times they made complain to me about food. By my survey some of them had seriously get ill they didn’t eat food in dining room. By the way sick participant all most said same word to me that foods make them sick.
The environment in class is a bit cheerless. So if we can make some relaxing activities or culture, dynamic or games it will make more participants happier with the sessions. Even though we have small session room but we can do it inside or outside.
To me, I think we should find a facilitator during session to open the floor for questions and answers. I see many participants ask many questions and sometime they made it a bit more individual floor only for them and the guest speaker. Some time they ask question that should not be raised or off topic or just want to say something. Especially, they didn’t respect the person, who raised hand first.
So I have a suggestion in this point, we can ask participant to vote for a representative facilitator during session or program. And also, facilitator can help all participants able to speak in discussion.
Organizing, divide responsibility, and sharing information. To me I feel I didn’t understand deeply our program processing and plan before its conduct. I had done when asked. Even though, we had long experience, but same matter still happen, like internet access to room. My suggestion we ask a volunteer to deal with this problem and get information before first day of participant arrival. Give guideline paper to access internet to all participants, if they have problem can bring their laptop to our computer specialist at secretariat room.
Filed under: 2008 Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School
