Dream your Dream World with WCF & WCYF
 
 
2009/04/17

Joo, Dong-oh
Staff Reporter
It is truly the spring, and the nature is now awake after enduring the harsh wind and cold of lonJg winter. Yes, all the flowers had to put up with the bitter winter to blossom brightly in spring. This is the golden rule of the nature, applicable for almost every aspects of the world. Here are some other flowers planted by Kyung Hee University (KHU) and waiting for the full blossom in this May – The World Civic Forum (WCF) and The World Civic Youth Forum (WCYF). These are two key events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of first foundation of Kyung Hee University and they are the flowers to burst out.

What is the difference?
Hearing the two names, some may nod their head slantwise with some doubt; ¡®What is the difference?¡¯ and this is also the most frequently asked question so far, to the organizers of two forums. For better understanding, one must first learn about the WCF. WCF is a biennial forum hosted by KHU in partnership with the United Nation¡¯s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in search for the idea of a just society, peaceful world and specific ways to realize it better on earth. Well, this is a quite sophisticated explanation and those who find it difficult to understand may understand this as a joint forum of global leaders, experts and activists, sharing their ideas for the better world.

WCYF is a major institutional program of WCF, with the similar themes and aims, but with youth leaders instead of renowned global leaders. So the answer to the above question is that WCF and WCYF has different participants, while the aim and specific programs may still stay similar. However because of the differences in their participants, WCF will be more formal while WCYF will remain more informal.

What is this year¡¯s theme?
WCF¡¯s main theme this year is somewhat grand; ¡®Building Our Humanitarian Planet.¡¯ With three key themes, and 12 key issues varying from environmental issues to development, the leaders of many states, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and academic fields will do the discussions. WCYF¡¯s theme is a little unsophisticated compare with WCF, putting up the slogan ¡®Global Issues of the 21st Century and Role of the College Youth.¡¯ However, still the specific issues are pretty much the same to those of WCF, with 6 main categories of peace, environment, development, human right, gender and culture.
Since these are the biennially forum, the key themes are not likely to be same and may change slightly, considering the global issues of each time period. However, still the issues about the betterment of human life are going to be discussed. Again WCF¡¯s key theme will be mainly about world issues in general, while WCYF are going to focus more on the role of youth within the same context.

How are their features?
Of course, their prime feature is the fine quality lectures. Through WCF, you can meet and learn from world¡¯s most renowned scholars in related fields. Paul Kennedy(Professor of Yale), John Ikenberry(Professor of Princeton), Sha Zukang(UN Under-secretary General), and Jose Ramos-Horta(President of East Timor, Nobel Peace Prize Winner). WCYF also features excellent keynote speakers but more to the taste of active youth. Liberato Buatista(President, CoNGO) Bi-ya Han(Human Aid Worker, World Vision) and Milan Hejtmanek (Professor of Seoul National University). In addition, WCYF will provide the chance to come across many future young leaders and their presentations on the global issues.
However, both forums also provide many cultural events to ease the tension and tiredness from long academic debate and discussion. Taekwondo performance, quiz show, welcoming party and candle night performance are waiting for the WCYF participants and still many more things being planned and to be added. WCF on the other hands also host cultural events but in more sophisticated ways.
¡°In order to raise awareness, increase international participation, and strengthen the ¡®Creative Foundation¡¯ of the WCF, a cultural arts festival will be held with the participation of artists, performers, and diverse contributors to traditional and contemporary culture,¡± Kim, Choon-hyun, the Executive Secretariat of WCF said.
However, one thing that is very true is that participants to both forums should not imagine a boring and sophisticated academic seminar. They are going to be more like festivals. Remember, they are part of 60th anniversary of university foundation and celebration has to be fun.

Student Participations
Since these are hosted also to celebrate the 60th anniversary of foundation of KHU, they are opened to all Kyung Hee University students as well as to others. WCF allows the university students to join either as audiences or volunteers. ¡°Already 80 of volunteers have signed up and they will be working for the success of the forum in various fields. Each of them was interviewed in English or other foreign languages to ensure that they have the capabilities. We are really glad to see students¡¯ enthusiasm,¡± said Kim.
However, the real core of student participation lies with the WCYF. Thanks to its nature as a youth forum, the forum was mainly planned and organized by the student secretariat, with some minor advices from Advisory Professors. ¡°From October 2008, 32 selected students have been working to turn rough blueprint into reality and we are now about to see the result. Those Student Secretariats have sacrificed their time, money, and all the comforts ever since their first meeting and they deserve recognition,¡± said Park Soo-heon, Advisory Professor of WCYF.
Beside Student Secretariat, WCYF is also fully operated by student participators as paper presenters, panel discussants, audiences, and volunteers. Around 700 students from either overseas or domestic universities are expected to join and the forum is going to be festival of friendship. ¡°Key concern of this kind of youth forum is also to provide students with the opportunities to meet more friends with various cultural backgrounds. Enhanced understanding about the diverse culture may lead to enhanced world peace. Consider that the most of today¡¯s conflicts originate from poor understanding about others,¡± said Park.

Still these forums are yet to gain the great recognition from the public, since they have not started the public advertisement yet. However, from mid-April, details have been released to the public and now people are seeing some results of organizers¡¯ long endeavor. ¡°We expect the thing to be improved as the forum is drawing near, and already we are seeing some signs of success,¡± said Kim. Regardless of their position, everyone¡¯s dream is the same. ¡®To present the best forum and make everyone satisfied with the result, including organizers themselves.¡¯

Hope the May of Kyung Hee to be even brighter this year. So why don¡¯t you come and witness? Either forum may present you the memory of your life. Best way to improve your insight about the world issue? Take the shortcut through WCF and WCYF.