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The May 18 Memorial Foundation is recruiting once again international interns. Below is their letter to their contacts, I was an intern myself beloging to the pioneer or first batch in 2005 . Greetings friends of The May 18 Memorial Foundation, As 2012 is approaching, we would like to announce that we have opened the annual internship program application. The internship program is an imperative part of the Foundation’s mandate to promote international solidarity and further the promotion of human rights across the world. Through the internship program the Foundation aimsto build concrete solidarity through the exchange of human resource and also to nurture outstanding individuals to lead global civil society. Thus we would like to request for your help to spread our call for the 2012 International Internship Program. Please click at the attached link to find out more about our 2012 international internship program. Best regards, Solidarity Team, The May 18 Memorial F...

Below is a call for human rights international internship program by May 18 Memorial Foundation . Dear All, Greetings from the May 18 Memorial Foundation I would like to request for your help to spread our call for the 2010 International Internship Program. The internship program is our way to inspire young human rights activists to learn from the example of the heroes of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and in the process help spread such spirit and ideals to Asia. We hope to seek your valuable support on this effort by helping us spread this information. Please find the details below the link to our Call for Application and the application form in the attached file. Thank you for your time, Regards Culture and Solidarity Team International Internship Program 2010 About The May 18 Memorial Foundation The May 18 Memorial Foundation was founded by Gwangju citizens, sympathetic Koreans overseas and individuals who believe it's important to keep the ideas and memories of t...

(foto courtesy of - http://www.thebestfriend.org/cont/hero.htm) Congratulations to Min Ko Naing, the NLDA and the rest of the Burmese Freedom Fighters! Min Ko Naing is the recipient of the prestigious 2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights! This is the link to Korean website of The May 18 Memorial Foundation's announcement of Min Ko Naing for his achievement: http://tinyurl.com/cyk6zq ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Text of the announcement of the of The May 18 Memorial Foundation, sent via email. 2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award Announcement The situation regarding democracy and human rights in Myanmar/Burma remains dire. At this very moment, many pro-democracy activists are locked up in freezing cold cells. The international community has put pressure on Burma’s military junta, taking consistent interest in the nation’s pro-democracy movement. Despite its efforts, some countries around the world have turned a deaf ear t...

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO - 30 MARCH 2009 Deadline for the submission of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights is now very near - 30 March 2009. So please submit your nomination now ! Excerpt The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights was established to celebrate the spirit of May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising by recognizing both individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace in their work. The prize is awarded by the citizens of Gwangju in the spirit of solidarity and gratitude from those whom they have received help in their struggle for democratization. It is hoped that through this award the spirit and message of May 18 will be immortalized in the hearts and mind of humankind. The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights which is given yearly has the following aims: 1). To enhance the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Uprising by awarding individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad on their contribution to...

Larawan kuha ng magkaroon ng pagkilos ang mga mamayan ng Gwangju nagmartsa mula harapan ng Chonnam National University patungo ng Old Provincial Hall, ang lugar kung saan nagbuwis ng buhay ang ilan sa magigiting na bayani na tinutulan ang martial law at diktaturya ni Chun Doo Wan noong May 18 1980 (518) o May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising (518) . Nanawagan ang mga lider ng pagkilos at iba pang mamayan na tutulan ang pagbuwag ng simbolo ng (518) , ang Old Provincial Hall, upang bigyan ng mas magandang facade ang itinatayong Asian Culture Complex . From 왜가리

Message on the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Laureates of the Gwang... Publish at Scribd or explore others: Activism Politics universal declaratio the may 18 memorial

Below are the video messages on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights taken from the website of The May 18 Memorial Foundation. The message came from Gwangju Prize for Human Rights 2008 winner Mr. Muneer Malik of Pakistan and 2007 winner Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi of India. Good day ladies and gentlemen! While commemorating the Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights we must at the same time ask ourselves whether up to the passage of 60 years since the declaration; distinction of color, creed, sex, religious or social origin still impede the realization of the rights and freedom enshrined in the declaration? The answer unfortunately yes they do. The gap between the rich and the poor and the developed and underdeveloped has only grown larger. Half of humanity comprising of women remain the victim of gender bias. They are by and large stereotyped to subordinate roles that deny them the right to realize their full potential in the ...

Butterfly sipping nectar from a red flower... (thanks to morning angel for naming the flower for me - beautiful zinnia, as she calls it) View Album Get your own

FIRST CALL 2009 Grant for Democracy and Human Rights Projects in Asia Background The May 18 Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization established on August 30, 1994 by the surviving victims of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, the victims, families, and the citizens of Gwangju. The Foundation aims to commemorate and continue the spirit of struggle and solidarity of the May 18 Uprising, contribute to the peaceful reunification of Korea, and work towards peace and human rights throughout the world. Since its establishment, the Foundation has carried out numerous projects in varying fields, including organizing memorial events, establishing scholarships, fostering research, disseminating public information, publishing relevant materials, dispensing charity and welfare benefits, building international solidarity, and awarding Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. The Culture and Solidarity Team is in charge of the Foundation's international solidarity work throughout Asia and impl...

From the thick forests a stream flows generously with its cold and clear sweet water. The greens of the horizon safely protect a lush valley planted with rice abundant of ripening panicles and some fields covered with greenhouses of other farm products. Every now and then a thick formation of cloud would descend only to disperse momentarily as thick clouds unveil the sun. It is heartwarming sight to behold the infrequent hugging of mists and forest trees. Although it is summer the valley ’ s coolness is that of autumn. The place is called Green-Eco Touring Village in Mul-an Gol Bukyiri, Chuncheon, Kangwondo. Of its 55 hectares only 44 people or 26 households lives in the place, mostly in their 40 ’ s and majority are aged people. Although a paradise, it is devoid of the laughter and noises of children and lacks the charm and energy of the youth. The place unlike the other rural villages of Korea is without migrant resident or a farmer with a foreign bride. With zero birth rate the ...

Have not posted for a long time. Busy posting at the 518folkschool blog (Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School). Today we had the closing ceremony after two weeks of lecture, workshop, and field trips. Tomorrow will be the solidarity nite. I hope human rights defenders from all over Asia will have a blast. We will be staying on a place perched above Korea's famous tea plantation called Boseong . So check out our photos here - http://518folkschool.blogspot.com

Ultra-modern yet close to nature, these are two of the things that Filipino expat Pete enjoys about living and working in Gwangju, South Korea. Here he describes things like his involvement with a non-governmental organization and his observations regarding Koreans. Pete's having a good time in the country and urges others to "just come 2 Korea!" Read the interview here: http://www.expatinterviews.com/korea/peterahon.html

Playing a haunting music with saw for a violin. Yodeling Singing ala-Pavarotti Back home, I've heard stories of homicides at videoke bars because of quarrel and fight over Frank Sinatra' s song My Way. The song is the most favorite videoke songs, an anthem even for most videoke singers. So if the song is not sung in the proper way and offended the discriminating ears of its listeners, such situation could really turn fatal that would lead way to the funeral. But here in Korea, My Way is performed a different and unique way. My Way performed with different sizes of cow bells. The performer even made use of saw for a violin. He yodels and sings opera. A virtuoso who confessed that it was his first time to perform in his suit outdoor under a blazing afternoon sun. My Way (His Way) with Cow Bells

The article below was from Naeil.com, one of the daily newspapers here in Korea. I was interviewed last year May 2007. Ms. Oh Miok, was a 2006 volunteer sent by The May 18 Memorial Foundation to my former organization (CO Multiversity/Philcos) in the Philippines. She lived in an urban poor community in Manila where she learned Community Organizing to help empower the community. This article was showed to me a year after by another interviewer for our magazine joo muk bap on our 2008 may issue (the write up is now being translated in English). Researching about me prior the interview my interviewer found this article and gave to me the online printout. I asked our 2007 volunteer Yoan Kim who is an English education major. Yoan was sent to Malaysia and work with Empower who deals primarily with youth and women. Thanks to Mi Ok and Yoan for their help. The Korean version is posted with this titled link: “5·18 잊고 사는 광주가 슬프다” 5월 광주는 아시아 활동가에게 ‘승리의 신념’ 전해…소중한 역사 계승해야 It is said that the M...

While following new folks at twitter I came across this posting about " Good people day ". So I would like to acknowledge and affirm our team the Culture and Solidarity Team of The May 18 Memorial Foundation (518). As Korean would say FIGHTING! Especially that the May 18 Events slowly coming up... Below are pictures of how good looking we are - both from the inside and out (fotos during the Tong Yeong International Music Festival 2008, Tong Yeong City, ROK). (front me, Eunjjin, Chanho, Lynn, sunjin, Ria, Din, volunteer?, and Chris, Cheung was behind the camera) message from ebrake from where I got introduced about this - click the hyperlink to find out Good Morning all. Happy Good Person Day 08. Confused? http://tinyurl.com/2vq85n http://twitter.com/ebrake from nazgul My response (posted just as you sent me that) http://xrl.us/biuj2 Ode to Single Moms htpp://www.marrowbones.com/commons/technosocial/2008/04/ode_to_single_moms.html here is a reply fro...

Every year The May 18 Memorial Foundation (our office) recruits volunteers to help us in the conduct of the May 18 events. The volunteers are assigned to different teams. These volunteers after the May 18 events will be asked to apply for international volunteer work, they can chose to volunteer or become interns for 10 months to our partners and networks in Asia and the USA. One of the teams is the Culture and Solidarity Team which has three functions - media and PR, international programme, and culture.The media and PR unit is now in the process of training volunteers to do video documentation. Of the three groups formed, from among the volunteers assigned to the Media and PR decided to make me as their "guinea pig". So they dubbed their project - Special Lunch with Pete . At past 10:00 AM we went to E-mart for the first segment of the video. They interviewed me while they do the grocery, then took photo on the way home and cooked and eat lunch. We had a very nice meal, ...

An Ji Eun is a student and dreams to become a rock singer. She performs at school and do some gigs in clubs here in Gwangju. Together with some May 18 volunteer they came to the house to cook Korean food and document it in the process as a video project for the Foundation. An Ji Eun Sings What's Up - More amazing videos are a click away

The lecture of Prof. George Katsiaficas about the May 18 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising was very interesting and it provoked a lively discussion among the audience, mostly the expats of Gwangju but there were also people involved during the uprising or popularly called 518. The 518 was remarkable and unique among the other revolutions as compared to the less successful uprisings in other Asian countries. Here in Korea, their homogeneity as to language and culture unlike the diversity, factionalism, regionalism, and tribalism of other countries was a factor that made it possible for the people to assert freedom and democracy. Thus gaining people's sovereignty over the military and dictatorial rule and paving the way to the rapid economic development of the country. It should also be noted that many Koreans are very passionate when it comes to promoting and protecting their civil liberties this is due to their high level of education, awareness of social issues and involve...