Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul 'Saemaul Spirit Practice Day'
On the first Monday of every month, about 120 international students take the initiative to clean up the campus
[November 3, 2014]
"It feels good waking up early in the morning to breathe in the fresh air and clean up the campus with classmates. As a student of Saemaul studies, it has a special meaning to me that I am practicing the Saemaul spirit of hard work, self-dependency and cooperation."
At 6:30 in the morning on the 3d, Tufail Mahmood (41), an international student from Pakistan, had a very special morning. He is currently in his first term at the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul, Department of International Development Cooperation. This day, he came to school two hours earlier than usual and swept up the campus with fellow students at his graduate school.
Mr. Mahmood, who worked as a public employee in the Pakistani finance ministry, enrolled at the graduate school in October. He said, "By voluntarily cleaning the school, which is a community space, like my own home, I was able to gain a sense of community and also learn the spirit of cooperation to work efficiently and effectively."
This was the 'Saemaul Spirit Practice Day' of the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul. This is a monthly event to kick off the new month as part of the Saemaul campaign to clean up the entire campus.
Despite the cold breeze and dark morning with winter just around the corner, international students huddled around the YU Cheonma Art Center Tower Building where the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul is located. Over 120 students from 41 countries studying Saemaul gathered early in the morning. They distributed the cleaning tools according to their duties and broke off into smaller groups to clean up the campus from the main gate of the school all the way to the main building of the university. Professors and staff who teach and instruct the Saemaul Undong and spirit also participated in this campaign to encourage the international students.
Navarro Sarah Elaine (30, Department of International Development Cooperation, term 3) from the Philippines also participated in the Saemaul Campaign. She said that she has never missed a day of the 'Saemaul Spirit Practice Day' since enrolling at the school in March. She said, "We clean up the campus on the first Monday of every month as part of this campaign, but I think the 'Saemaul Spirit Practice Day' is a good way to start the day," while explaining the purpose of the campaign saying, "Instead of thinking of this just as cleaning up, if we approach everything we do with the spirit of diligence, self-reliance and cooperation, we will be able to naturally the Saemaul spirit. She added, "Once I earn my diploma and return to my home in the Philippines, I want to spread the Saemaul Undong and spirit to help develop my country."
Meanwhile, YU founded the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul to foster global Saemaul leaders in emerging countries in November 2011. As of now, 63 people from 26 countries around the world including Asia, Africa, Europe and America studied 'Saemaul science' and are spreading the Saemaul Undong and Saemaul spirit back at their home. Currently, 129 next-generation leaders from around the world and different walks of life such as senior public officials, college professors, professionals, and social activists are studying Saemaul sciences.
