Over 500 people from 38 countries gathered at the Gyeongju Hyundai Hotel from the 27th to 29th with the goal to overcome poverty among emerging countries
Pursue sharing Saemaul Undong experience and cooperation for joint prosperity of global community
Global Saemaul Forum Chairman Choi Oe Chool proposes installation of 'international organization' to practice the Saemaul Spirit
[Aug 27, 2014]

 The '2014 Global Saemaul Forum' was held successfully at Gyeongju on the 27th to share the experiences of the Saemaul Undong with the world.

 This forum, which was attended by experts from 38 different countries, was held in order to search for practical plans for the global prosperity and mutual cooperation of the global community, while sharing the experience of the Saemaul Undong, which is local community development research model and a UNESCO Memory of the World as strategies to overcome poverty of emerging countries of the OECD.

 This forum, which was held at the Gyeongju Hotel Hyundai Convention Hall from the 27th to the 29th, was co-hosted by YU (President Noh Seok-kyun), Gyeongsangbuk-do (Governor Kim Gwan-yong) and the Global Saemaul Forum (Chairman Choi Oe Chool), and was sponsored by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea Rural Community Corporation, Korea Saemaul Undong Center, and the Korea Development Foundation.

 This forum, which is held under the theme 'Global Cooperation Strategy to Overcome Poverty in Emerging Countries-Focusing on Sharing the Saemaul Undong Experience', will be attended by over 500 persons such as senior public officials on rural development, high-level policy makers for local society development, international organization workers, Global Saemaul Undong practitioners, and academic experts from a total of 38 countries from Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, Central America, South America, Australia, and China, as well as Senegal Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Facilities, Laos Vice Minister of Agriculture, Vice Director of the Vietnam National Ho Chi Minh Academy, and the Nicaraguan Ambassador to Korea.

 At the opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on the 27th, Gyeongsangbuk-do Vice Minister of Administration Joo Nak-young gave a welcoming address, YU President Noh Seok-kyun gave an opening address, Korea Saemaul Undong Center Director Shim Yoon-jong and Korea Rural Community Corporation President Lee Sang-moo gave congratulatory addresses, followed by Global Saemaul Forum Chairman Choi Oe Chool's keynote address titled 'Saemul Undong with the Global Community to Prosper Together'.

 At the keynote address, Choi Oe Chool said, "Recently, the international society is showing interest in poverty, education, medicine, human rights, energy, and climate change issues of emerging countries and have made considerable efforts to make improvements. Despite such efforts, however, there are still 1.2 billion people living in the world with less than 1.25 dollars a day, and many countries are suffering from under development." He added, "The Saemaul Undong that aims for strengthening the capacity for self-dependency of residents and self-initiated development based on the spirit of industriousness, self-dependency and cooperation is receiving attention as a new model for improving the poverty issue of emerging countries and for developmental cooperation through an upgraded version that adds the values of sharing, volunteering and creation. Thus, we hope that this forum can be an opportunity to look for the best direction for sustainable international development cooperation, and as a place for actively discussing ways to have the international community share the experience of the Saemaul Undong."

 At the end of his keynote address, Choi proposed to install a privately initiated international organization called the 'Global Saemaul Spirit Practice Alliance'. Choi emphasized, "It is necessary to have a privately initiated international organization that can systematically support and promote the practice of the Saemaul spirit to construct a prosperous global community," while adding, "The assertive participation and roles of various international organizations, countries, private companies and experts are essential to overcome the common task of the world by practicing the Saemaul spirit."

 On the 27th, the first day, seminars by topics and genera session 1 and 8 special sessions will be conducted for active presentations and discussions by experts from different countries, followed by a special lecture and general session 2 on the 28th. Participants of the forum will then visit industrial sites and the place where the Saemaul Undong originated in Korea from the afternoon of the 28th to the 29th to experience the economic development site of Korea, while sharing the experience.

 During the seminar by theme on the 27th, it will unfold in the order of △Session 1, 'Overcoming Poverty in Emerging Countries and Global Prosperity', △Session 2 ‘Global Saemaul Undong Sharing Strategy’ △Session 3, ‘Effective Emerging Country Development Pursuance System’ △Session 4 ‘Projects and Tasks to Overcome Poverty by Country’, followed by presentations, discussions and cases studies by experts from the respective countries. In General Session 1, Korea Rural Community Corporation President Lee Sang-moo will oversee presentations and discussions by experts on 'Global Cooperation Strategy to Overcome Poverty in Emerging Countries-Focusing on Sharing the Saemaul Undong Experience'. Also, three special sessions will also be held under the theme of 'Ideas to Utilize the Saemaul Undong to Overcome Poverty'.

 On the 28th, the second day of the forum, KOICA President Kim Young-mok will give a special lecture titled 'Post 2015 Development Agenda and the Global Saemaul Undong' and Ho Chi Minh Academy of Vietnam Vice Director Nguyen will deliver a lecture titled 'Strategies to Pursue the Saemaul Undong in Vietnam', and in General Session 2, discussions among experts will be held under former YU President Lee Hyo-soo on 'Post 2015 Development Agenda and Global Saemaul Undong'.

 Senegal Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Facilities Dogo Seck said, "I was deeply impressed by the amazing growth of Korea through the Saemaul Undong. I am attending this forum to find solutions for new systems for the acceleration of Senegal's agricultural development and national growth," while adding, "I hope that through various ideas and cases of using the Saemaul Undong, we will be able to establish an effective development plan that can be applied in Senegal."