Activities
Meetings and Events in July
2022 Korean-German Unification Forum 1st <Unification Academy>
On July 1st, the Unification Academy hosted by the Hanns Seidel Foundation and the Korea Institute for Peace and Cooperation was held at the Korean Press Center. This academy has great significance in promoting overall unification by instilling an awareness of Korean unification in students from Jeju and suggesting what things should be done for unification. Hanns Seidel Foundation senior researcher Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi and intern researcher Helena attended the forum.
Public Diplomacy in Culture and Ethics - Workshop at Chungnam University
The National Strategy Institute of Chungnam National University invited experts in related fields to discuss how to repair democracy in crisis and to re-establish a desirable value system that can be shared by members of the country. Experts in the field of public diplomacy from the United States, Germany, Japan, and Korea gathered for this seminar, which was supported by the Korea Foundation, whose purpose includes the promotion of proper awareness and understanding of Korea and enhancing goodwill and friendship throughout the international community. Dr. Bernhard Seliger of Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea introduced the development of German public diplomacy and pointed out challenges for preserving the strong foundations laid by the founding fathers of the Federal Republic of Germany as a democracy and social market economy.
Meeting with Study Group Peace Seed -Bearing (평화떡잎)
HSF Korea regularly meets with students and young scholars to give an insight into reconciliation between the two Koreas as well as information about environmental projects on the Korean Peninsula, such as the sustainable reforestation project in Sangseo-ri, South Pyongan. It's in the interest of HSF Korea to provide know-how on sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation topics. On 16 July 2022, Dr Hyun-Ah Choi, who manages the environmental project at HSF Korea, had a meeting with the study group Peace Seed -Bearing (평화떡잎) led by Mr Jae-Young Yoo under the Korea Safety Health Environment Foundation. Dr. Choi gave an overview of the forest project with North Korea.
Education of NGO officials on the promotion of the Inter-Korean Green Detente
We were able to make our third trip to the Inter-Korean Forest Cooperation Center as part of an education program to promote the Inter-Korean Green Détente hosted by the Ministry of Unification. The 2-day-long training session with a focus on the effects of the climate crisis in North Korea was held in mid-July at the Center Point Building in Gwanghwamun and followed by a trip to the Inter-Korean Forest Cooperation Center in Paju where the participants were introduced to the functions of the cooperation.
Korean-German Climate & Environment Conference 2022
On July 20th, the Korean-German Climate & Environment Conference on the topic of "Circular Economy in Korea and Germany: Recycling and Reuse of EV Batteries" took place. It was organized by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the German Embassy in Seoul. A wide range of Korean and German experts from various fields such as research, development, and government attended to present project examples and cooperation ideas from both countries.
Visiting the EAAFP and ESCAP
On July 25, members of the HSF Korea visited the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) and its visitor Ms. Anja Szczesinski, as well as the ESCAP office in Songdo, Incheon. With the EAAFP and Ms. Szczesinski, the HSF discussed strategies for efficient educational support between different countries. During the meeting with ESCAP, the parties talked about upcoming projects and mutual support. The EAAFP is a group of 18 countries and around 20 NGOs on the so-called East Asian Australasian Flyway, trying to protect migratory waterbirds along the flyway and the habitats necessary to sustain the waterbird population. HSF is a member of the EAAFP since 2017.