"Director for Global Village Coexistence Human Resource Training Center" donates talents in wall paintings as part of the "University Specialization for Creative Korea Project" sponsored by the Ministry of Education 
20 students from the Department of Saemaul Studies and International Development(formerly Department of Regional Development and Welfare Administration) joined in "Town Tending" to improve the environment of local senior centers
[November 24, 2014]

"I think that anyone can change the world by starting small and close!"

YU (President Noh Seok-kyun) students took part in wall painting volunteer activities with the Suseong-gu Volunteer Center of Daegu. The volunteer activities overseen by the 'Global Community Coexistence Human Resources Project Team' (Director Han Dong-geun) was planned to provide students the opportunity to experience the true meaning of sharing talents and volunteering, while giving residents a more pleasant living environment.

The volunteer activity for painting the Siji Senior Citizen Center in Daegu from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the 21st was joined by 20 international students from the 'Saemaul and International Development Department' (formerly 'Regional and Welfare Administration Department', department name change from the 2015 academic year) that is in charge of the global community coexistence human resources fostering team and the 'Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul'. The students busily and carefully painted, regardless of their painting skills. The grandmothers and grandfathers who just watched in the beginning started to also take part in painting as they watched their walls become brighter, and the alley ways where the wall paintings were being painted transformed into a cultural space for both students and residents.

Jang Ye-jin (20), a sophomore who participated in the volunteer activity, said, "I was busy painting, but I suddenly noticed the grandmothers and grandfathers starting to paint the walls together. I had so much fun working and talking with them that I did not even notice the time go by." She added, "Watching people walking by and enjoying and smiling at our work, I realized that despite the short time, it was I who learned from this experience."

This volunteer activity was carried out as part of the 'college specialization project'. The global community coexistence human resources fostering team was selected as a nationally funded project for the first time this year by the Ministry of Education's 'college specialization project'. It will receive national funding of 5.3 billion won for the next five years to foster experts in regional and international development.

Global community coexistence human resources fostering project team director Han Dong-geun, who prepared for this volunteer activity, said, "One aspect of the Saemaul Undong is to maintain towns based on the spirit of hard work, self dependence and cooperation. The wall painting volunteer activity can also be said to be a town maintenance project that can renew the old town walls and improve the living environment." He added, "I hope that through these volunteer activities, it can not only improve the community environment, but also teach students a community spirit in which the college and community live together while also learning the spirit of hard work, self dependency and cooperation."