World Civic Forum to Discuss Global Issues

Choue In-won, on a big screen, makes a speech during the 7th global forum on reinventing governments, organized by the United Nations at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria in June 2007. During the forum, titled “Building Trust in Government” Choue proposed establishment of the World Civic Forum to the world organization. / Courtesy of Kyung Hee University

2,000 Scholars Attending Kyung Hee University Conference This Week

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

United Nations officials, Nobel Prize laureates, scholars and world university students will get together in Seoul for an international forum on various global issues for four days from Tuesday through Friday. 

About 2,000 scholars and specialists from international organizations, corporations, education and research institutes will participate in the ``World Civic Forum (WCF) 2009,'' organized by Kyung Hee University and the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). 

Under the theme of ``Building Our Humanitarian Planet,'' it will take place at COEX Mall, southern Seoul, and cover three key issues ― ``Civic Values for Global Justice,'' ``Civic Engagement in Public and Global Governance'' and ``Civic Action for the Global Agenda Including Climate Change.'' 

WCF, dealing with core values of human beings such as peace, human security, economic prosperity and social justice, is to seek communication between the international organization and world universities in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Kyung Hee. It has prepared for the forum for about six years.

For the first-ever global forum, Kyung Hee has worked with the UNDESA since the signing of a memorandum of understanding for academic exchanges and cooperation in September 2006. In June 2007, Kyung Hee President Choue In-won proposed that the United Nations and higher education institutes establish the WCF at the world organization's headquarters in Vienna, Austria. With the proposal, the WCF Preparatory Conference took place in Seoul in 2007.

The WCF International Board will continue to hold the forum biannually around the world. ``The WCF 2009 calls for the attention of the global society to the ever-glaring aporia facing humanity in the 21st century,'' Choue said in his welcoming message. ``It is our hope that the university community and international society will join in the spirit of global consensus and agreement and together search for a better future for humanity and planet Earth. We also hope to find a better approach to the difficulties with which real life is so dauntingly imbued.'' 

Choue's counterpart, Sha Zukang, undersecretary-general of the UNDESA, said that universities are genuine partners in the global and national efforts to achieve the shared development goals.

``Institutions of higher learning have a critical role in forming our future leaders, in advocating mutual understanding, and in promoting a dialogue among stakeholders towards a global culture of peace through innovative partnerships,'' said Zukang. ``On this occasion, policy-makers, senior government officials, leading global thinkers, nongovernmental organizations, private sector representatives, public training and academic institutions, media, and other key actors will join forces to create a new platform for the engagement of civil society in addressing global challenges, thereby contributing to a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.''

World Renowned Figures Together in Seoul

The forum also features the attendance of a number of world famous policy makers, university professors, civic activists, businessmen and journalists from 12 institutional partners, including the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO), U.N. Global Compact/Principles for Responsible Management Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

They will discuss various global issues, such as climate change, environmental protection and sustainable energy shortage; poverty and foreign aid; higher education for humane purposes and social responsibility; political development and political stability; human rights issues and human security; and crisis management, including post-conflict and disaster. The purpose of the themes is to promote civic values and civic action through international partnerships.

During the opening ceremony starting from 10 a.m. until midday, Kyung Hee President Choue and UNDESA Undersecretary-General Zukang will deliver speeches. After then, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, UNESCO Assistant Director-General Hans d'Orville and Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Daily, will deliver keynote addresses, followed by a cultural performance.

During the ``Roundtable on the Future of Universities,'' from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Kiyofumi Kawaguchi, president of Ritsumeikan University, Zhou Qifeng, president of Peking University, and Liberato C. Bautista, president of the CoNGO will make speeches. Under the session tilted ``the vision and global responsibility of universities of the future,'' three main issues such as ``Global Crisis and Responses from Universities,'' ``Vision and Philosophy of Universities of the Future'' and ``Global Responsibility and Practices of Universities of the Future'' will be covered.

Its plenary session, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., will invite five speakers: Kim Yersu, rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations at Kyung Hee University; Sesh Velamoor, deputy director of the Foundation for the Future; Paul Kennedy, a Yale University professor; Donald C. Johanson, an Arizona State University professor; and Howard Bloom, a visiting professor at New York University. 

The session features presentations and discussion by globally renowned thinkers and practitioners, and deals with civic values, engagement and action.

They will be followed by thematic and UNDESA sessions. Institutional partner sessions will be held during the following days, inviting specialists and experts on various global issues from around the world.

After the final session on the last day of the forum, the closing ceremony will take place. Kim Eui-young, secretary-general of the WCF Organizing Committee, will give a closing report according to the main theme and goals of the forum.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr