International students from 30 countries around the world participate to share the ‘world citizen consciousness’ at YU on the 9th
Shared traditional foods from different countries to create a global festival
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Ambassador to Korea also attended to spend time with students
[November 9, 2018]
<Students of the Saemaul and International Development Department and international students at the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul engaged in campus cleaning activities for the ‘World Citizen Campaign’>
On the 9th, with the attendance of international students from 30 countries around the world, YU held the ‘World Citizen Campaign’. This aimed at sharing the consciousness of world citizens through cultural exchanges with different nations and to heighten awareness on the roles and responsibilities of members of the global community.
The ‘World Citizen Campaign’ hosted by the YU Department of Saemaul and International Development is part of the ‘University International Development Cooperation Understanding Enhancement Project’ of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The festival started off with campus environment purification activities joined by YU students and international students at the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul. It aimed at allowing the students to feel a sense of unity and responsibility as a member of the community through the campus cleaning activities and to share the experience of harmony and co-existence.
Afterwards, an event for experiencing the food culture of the world was held at national booths prepared at the main gate of YU. Participants enjoyed the festival by cooking their traditional foods at the booths and sharing with others. This experience event that was joined by a total of 16 countries offered foods ranging from rendang and nasi goreng of Indonesia, which has been ranked the world’s first and second most delicious foods, to ubunyobwa of Rwanda and bolani of Afghanistan so that participants could taste different foods and gain a better understand of each other’s cultures.
Andika Aya Putri (26) from Indonesia currently studying at the Park Chung Hee School said, “I happily took part in this event as it is an opportunity to introduce the traditional foods of Indonesia to Korean students. I hope that students will be able to taste different foods from different countries, while talking to each other and sharing our cultures.”
<Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Ambassador to Korea Adalgisa Ximenes makes traditional food at the ‘World Citizen Campaign’>
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Ambassador to Korea Adalgisa Ximenes also participated in this event. Ambassador Ximenes cooked food with international students from Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste currently studying at the Park Chung Hee School and spent time with students from various countries participating in the event.
Kang Yoo-jin (20, YU Department of Saemaul and International Development, sophomore) who attended this event said, “I think helping international students cook traditional food and eating it together with them was a good opportunity to better know each other. It was a short time, but it was fun being able to talk about their foods, language and culture.”
The Saemaul International Development Exhibit was also held at this event. The outcomes of the various Saemaul international development cooperation projects, on-site overseas learning programs, and research activities pursued as part of the KOICA University International Development Cooperation Understanding Enhancement Project by the Department of Saemaul and International Development were shared with international students from around the world, drawing a huge deal of attention. The participants shared opinions and talked about the internationalization capacities of YU accumulated through the Saemaul international development activities and ways to contribute to the international society of the future generation.
YU Department of Saemaul and International Development Professor Lee Jung-joo who planned out the ‘World Citizen Campaign’ said, “The value of the Saemaul spirit of sharing, volunteering and creating based on industriousness, independence, and cooperation is the fundamental mentality to obtain the practical virtues of international development cooperation for a world where everybody can live happily in. We have continuously pursued educational experiences and experience-based activities related to Saemaul based on such values.” He added, “Such exchange program will continue to be developed to foster great global human resources with the capacity for coexistence.”
