미지센터의 청소년 국제교류이야기

       Who said that donations are only done by money? The Hat Knitting Campaign defines another type of donation in the global world.

           When people think about the world ‘volunteer’ or ‘donation’ we often think about the red charity boxes that we put money into. Or often people relate volunteer work to cleaning up after messes or other physical activities. However, Save the Children’s Hat Knitting Campaign is defining a new type of volunteer for the people across the world. Since 2007, Save the Children, an international organization helping the world’s child poverty, has been pursuing the ‘Hat Knitting Campaign’. This campaign is meant to help infants dying due to diseases that can easily be treated. What makes this campaign special is the fact that instead of just simply donating money; participants knit hats with their own hands to ship to infants in developing countries. Now beyond just money, there are efforts sent along with the donations.

           The ‘Hat Knitting Campaign’ is growing steadily with lots of attentions. Now this campaign is celebrating its 5^th year and stands with a goal to ship 15 thousand knitted hats to Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. To hear about the enormous spread of contribution-culture set by this campaign, I interviewed Park Young Ee from the Save the Children Communication Team.

           The ‘Hat Knitting Campaign’ holds its significance for defining a new type of ‘volunteer’ and ‘donation’. Instead of just donation money, each time I knit I can think about the infants that will be wearing the hat in my hands after a couple months. The participants love, effort and care will be shipped across the Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. The positive energy this campaign is sending not only to the participants but also to the people across the world is making the world feel like a warmer place.

Photos are credited to Save the Children

 캐나다 밴쿠버 시내 한복판에 슈퍼맨이 서류가방을 들고 출근을 하고 마녀가 가게에서 주문을 받는 날. 바로 10월 31일 할로윈 데이(Halloween Day)이다. 매년 10월 31일은 할로윈 데이로 캐나다를 비롯해 많은 서양 국가에서는 이 날을 기념하기 위해 남녀노소 모두가 만화 캐릭터, 마녀 등 평소에 하지 않는 특이한 분장을 하고, 아이들은 ‘Trick or Treat’을 외치며 이웃들의 집을 방문한다. 우리나라에서는 볼 수 없는 이색적인 광경이기에 한국 유학생들 및 관광객들도 모두 들떠 있는 모습을 쉽게 발견할 수 있었다. 

우리나라에서는 경험할 수 없는 흥미로운 할로윈

 우리나라에서는 할로윈이 사실상 없다. 외국어 학원이나 놀이공원에서 할로윈 기념행사를 개최하긴 하지만 서양에서 즐기는 할로윈과는 사뭇 다르다. 항상 외국 영화나 드라마에서만 보던 할로윈을 캐나다에서는 직접 경험해 볼 수 있었다. 아이들을 키우는 집과 노부부가 사는 집에서는 특히 할로윈을 위해 1-2주 전부터 집 마당을 장식하고, 동네 아이들을 위해 초콜릿과 사탕을 사놓았다. 할로윈 당일, 시내에서는 주로 젊은이들이 원더우먼, 슈퍼맨, 마녀 등의 개성 있는 분장을 하고 사람들과 어울리는 모습을 발견할 수 있었다. 반면 주택가에서는 대부분 가족 단위로 할로윈 분장을 하고 있었다. 

할로윈 당일에 해가 질 무렵, 사람들은 집 마당에 놓은 ‘Jack-o'-lantern’(할로윈을 기념해 호박 속을 파 표면을 개성 있게 장식해 놓은 호박 등불) 안의 초에 불을 붙여 놓는다. 불이 켜져 있는 집은 아이들의 ‘Trick or Treat’ 방문을 환영한다는 의미이다. 만약 ‘Jack-o'-lantern'의 불이 꺼져있거나 집에 불이 꺼져있다면 방문을 하지 않는 것이 예의이다.
 

Trick or Treat!
 

 저녁 6시가 넘자 귀엽게 변장을 한 아이들이 한 손에는 바구니를 든 채 부모님과 동네를 돌기 시작했다. 아이들은 이웃집 문을 두드리며 ‘Trick or Treat’을 외치는데, 이는 “과자나 사탕을 주면 장난치지 않을게요.”라는 뜻이다. ‘Trick or Treat’은 3살의 어린 아이부터 초등학생 정도의 어린이들이 이웃집들을 방문해 사탕이나 초콜릿을 받는 할로윈의 대표적인 풍습이다. 내가 살고 있는 캐나다 BC주의 주택가에서도 어김없이 아이들이 다양한 의상을 한 채 사탕, 초콜릿을 바구니에 한가득 담고 돌아다니는 모습을 쉽게 볼 수 있었다. 모든 가정에서 수시로 집 대문을 두드리는 아이들을 살갑게 대해주었으며, 특히 노부부들은 아이들의 방문을 더욱 반기는 분위기였다.
 

익살스러운 장난이 허용되는 할로윈 데이

 할로윈 데이에는 평소에는 할 수 없던 장난들을 마음껏 할 수 있다. 올해 할로윈에도 역시  개성있는 할로윈 장난들을 볼 수 있었다. 집 마당을 공동묘지로 꾸미는 것은 예삿일이었고, 지붕과 차 위에 거대한 거미를 올려놓거나 좀비와 해골, 귀신을 집 앞에 설치해 놓기도 했다. 할로윈을 맞이해 집을 잘 장식하거나 톡톡 튀는 장난을 많이 준비한 집이 단연 인기가 많았다. 내가 거주하는 동네에서 가장 사람이 몰려 있는 곳은 공동묘지로 마당을 꾸며 놓고 붉은 조명, 뿌연 연기와 함께 소름끼치는 음악을 틀어놓은 집이었다. 주민들은 평범한 일상 속에서 지내다가 익살스러운 장난들에 매우 즐거워하는 듯 보였다. 

 할로윈 데이는 귀신을 쫓기 위한 켈트족의 풍습에서 비롯되었으며 지금은 모두가 함께 즐길 수 있는 기념일로 자리 잡았다. 일상에서 할 수 없는 독특한 분장과 장난을 하며 특별한 추억을 쌓을 수도 있고 ‘Trick or Treat’과 같은 풍습으로 이웃들과의 관계를 더욱 돈독히 할 수도 있는 좋은 기회이기도 하다. 진정한 할로윈을 경험해보고 싶다면 캐나다 등 할로윈 데이를 즐기는 국가에서 보내보는 것도 좋을 듯하다. 

특별한 할로윈을 보내는 방법!

1. 외국에서 할로윈을 보내게 된다면, 한번쯤은 시내가 아닌 주택가에서 보내는 것을 추천!

 캐나다 밴쿠버의 경우, 할로윈 당일 저녁시간 쯤 많은 사람들이 독특한 할로윈 복장을 한 채 축제를 벌인다. 또한 곳곳에서 열리는 할로윈 기념 파티에 참석해 할로윈을 보내기도 한다. 물론 축제와 파티도 참석하면 재밌는 시간을 보낼 수 있지만, 주택가에서는 우리나라에서는 볼 수 없는 할로윈을 경험할 수 있다. 한번쯤은 익살스러운 할로윈 장식들과 함께 실제 동네 아이들이 집집마다 돌아다니며 하는 ‘Trick or Treat’ 등을 보며 가족과 이웃 중심의 할로윈을 보내는 것도 소중한 추억이 될 수 있을 것이다.

2. 할로윈 의상 입어보기!

 캐나다에서 할로윈 데이를 보내게 된다면 꼭 할로윈 의상을 입어보길 권장한다. 한국인들에겐 할로윈이 낯선 문화이기 때문에 할로윈 의상을 입지 않는 사람들이 많이 있다. 하지만  할로윈 의상을 입는다면 할로윈의 즐거움이 배가된다고 확신한다. 할로윈 시즌 전에는 많은 가게에서 할로윈 의상을 판매하므로 직접 친구, 가족들과 함께 할로윈 의상 쇼핑을 해보는 것도 색다른 경험이 될 것이다.  

  

3. Pumpkin Patch에 가보기!

 'Pumpkin Patch'란 할로윈 데이 장식을 위한 호박을 파는 곳이다. 'Pumpkin Patch'에 가면 깜짝 놀랄 정도의 넓은 호박 밭이 눈앞에 펼쳐질 것이다. 이곳에는 호박을 비롯해 다양한 호박 장식품, 할로윈을 기념하는 행사들이 마련되어 있다. 할로윈을 위한 호박은 'Pumpkin Patch'에서 구입해보는 것도 할로윈을 즐기는 방법 중 하나이다. 

 

 

4. Trick or Treat for UNICEF!

 할로윈이 어린이 자신들이 세상에 얼마나 큰 영향력을 끼칠 수 있는지도 보여줄 수 있는 날이 될 수도 있다. 바로 ‘Trick or Treat for UNICEF’를 통해 아이들과 학생들은 자신만의 특별한 모금 활동을 해볼 수 있다. 캐나다 어린이들에게는 ‘Trick or Treat for UNICEF’이 오래된 할로윈 전통 중 하나이다. 할로윈 밤에 이웃집을 돌아다니면서 캔디와 함께 전 세계 어린이들을 위한 모금을 해보는 활동인데, 이웃들의 인정을 마음껏 느낄 수 있는 할로윈에 소중한 봉사를 통해 나눔을 실천해보는 것도 좋은 경험이 될 수 있을 것이다. 아래 ‘Trick or Treat for UNICEF’ 사이트에 들어가면, 온라인 및 오프라인 할로윈 모금활동을 하는 방법이 상세히 나와 있다.

*사이트: http://youth.unicefusa.org/trickortreat/participate/

“Books, thousand of eyes looking at the future”, Seoul International Book Fair 2011

The history of the Seoul International Book Fair 2011

Getting Ready

Discussing the Debt Ceiling Crisis: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of the Democrats (left), and House Speaker John Boehner of the Republicans (right) (image from CBS.com)

          On July 31, 2011, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party passed several compromises regarding the debt ceiling of the United States. In return for the extension of the debt ceiling (the limit on the amount of debt the United States is allowed), the government had to initiate spending cuts of $900 billion over 10 years. Soon after the debt ceiling compromise was enacted, global markets plunged. The Dow Jones Index dipped below its 12,000 line, while Asian indexes like KOSPI of Korea plunged below the 2,000, and later, the 1,800 line.

Why take another Dip?

        The Standard & Poor’s Building in New York

           For the global economy, intricately linked to the US economy and its problems, the fall was caused by the US government. According to CNN, Dagong Global Credit Rating Company (based in China) lowered the US’ credit rating (the rating indicates the creditworthiness of the government of the nation) to an A+. Standard & Poor, the credit rating agency based in the US, devalued the US credit rating from AAA to an AA+ (*this view has been discredited by the US government: BBC News).

So what caused the US economy itself to sink? Guan Jianzhong, head of the Chinese Dagong Global Credit Rating Company, stated that "the squabbling between the two political parties on raising the U.S. debt ceiling reflected an irreversible trend on the United States' declining ability to repay its debts." As the US government failed to reach a concrete decision, many businessmen and investors began to lose confidence in the US government to honor its debts. As public funding is slashed, unemployment is predicted to rise, as well as decrease in demand for certain services.

Consequences

The New York Stock Exchange

Although US citizens generally agree that the compromise hurt the reputation and the economy of the US, many disagree on the appropriate action that should have been taken by the US government. The majority of the people in New York City (excluding the Wall Street & financial areas) believed that the US government should have raised the debt ceiling, while not slashing the budget at an extreme rate, sharing the Democrat’s argument on the debt ceiling crisis (*note: the state of New York is a mostly Democratic state according to the midterm elections of 2010). “Cutting budgets would only hurt the economy, where people want jobs and money is the main incentive of job creation,” argued one of the interviewees.  “As much as I want the government to spend responsibly,” said another interviewee, “I don’t want the government to slash funds recklessly.”

Although I expected to find Republican businessmen and investors the slashing of budgets, I found instead an opinion similar to the second interviewee. “The United States,” explained one investor, “has spent too much and we must stop spending recklessly; however, we shouldn’t cut our budget recklessly.” Another interviewee near the New York Stock Exchange building said that “many of the government programs that are being slashed include funds for small businesses to large corporations, so losing this budget battle also means bad news for US business.”

The Ripple from the Dip

  “I wouldn’t want the postal service to get even worse.” (Photo of New York Post Office)
 

The implications for the plunging of stocks across the globe, while clearly evident among investors and governments across the world are less clear for the general populace for now. Although cuts on spending have been passed, it hasn’t taken immediate effect. In fact, the faction that had most greatly felt the consequences of the compromise in the public sector was the private sector. “Ironically, the disaster of the public sector was most felt in the private sector,” said a businessman. “This is less about the American people, but more about the American government: the people may experience spending cuts, but it’s ultimately the government that was responsible for those cuts and the debt crisis it is in.”

Although the public hasn’t felt the budget cut yet, it doesn’t mean that they are less worried. In fact, because the spending cuts will affect or close government programs, the public sector is more worried than the private sector. “I’m worried about my next pay check, or even my job,” said a post office worker who wished not to be named. “I can’t believe the USPS (United States Postal Service) is going to be even slower,” joked an interviewee.

Apart from slower mail delivery, other important governmental programs could mean the difference between life and death. “In some neighborhoods, there aren’t even enough fire trucks or police officers because of lack of money,” said interviewee Mary Haltease (she has agreed to give her name). “That could be a real possibility for some cities of the United States 10 years from now.” For many people like Mary, the government caused a wave that swept its people.

On July 24th, Seoul Youth Center for Cultural Exchange, Mizy Center in short, welcomed the second guest speaker
for the MDG workshop provided for the Mizy Reporters, Kim Kyung Soo. Mr. Kim’s main field of activity is PKO:
Peacekeeping Operations. Starting with the interning at the UN, he has developed his career through working in the
Asia Pacific Council, the Korea Military Academy, the United Nations Military Observer group in India and Pakistan, and the United Nations Mission in Sudan. From his experiences, he realized that the MDGs goals were all parts of a big
cycle linked by two words, sustainable development. He explains the each goals based on his experiences and what
the future peacekeepers can do.

 

Picture from crcna.org-MDG hands

Goal1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Goal2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

According to the 2011 MDG Report, the Sudanese children’s school enrollment rate has been increasing recently.
However, when he was in Sudan, the children could barely attend school due to several reasons. Weather affected the most. 8 months of the year, it was too wet for the small children to walk the several kilometers to school, whilst 2 were too dry and hot. Even in normal weathers, parents feel it is too dangerous to send their kids on such a long walk, where
boys are frequently kidnapped by the army, and the girls, raped. Merely building schools in the nations and
recommending parents to enroll their children have not solved the problem of education, where such indigenous issues
are not taken into account. 
 

Goal3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

The number of women with paid jobs is considerably lower than the number of men with paid jobs in Sudan. Most
women in Sudan do not realize that they are receiving unjust and unequal treatment. For them to know this, they need to be educated, but of unfortunately, everything has a price tag, even education.

Goal4: Reduce Child Mortality

In year 2007, during 3 months of time, 821 Sudanese children died of measle. That corresponds to two small elementary
schools in Seoul. Likewise, malaria is one of the diseases that wipes out children now and then. However, having
caught them twice, Mr. Kim says that they were somewhat like normal colds, gone in 3 days with medication. The 
diseases are not what raises child mortality rate, but it’s their extremely weak bodies and immunity, along with the
unyielding poverty that seems to beholding the Sudaneses’ ankles on all parts of their lives.

Goal5: Improve Maternal Health

The ratio of baby getting born under proper professional medical care was only 48% in year 2008. If the mothers’ health is deteriorating, the child mortality will rise. If the mother has AIDS, the number of new AIDS infectants will rise. If the mother receives low quality education, or no education, the child is less likely to have proper education, and so on. This
generation’s females’ problems are literally “inherited” by the next generation if they are not solved.  

 

Goal6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and other Diseases

Because of the high illiteracy, instead documents with definition and descriptions of AIDS, he and the team plastered a
large poster with the word “AIDS” on it, color print. The next day, the poster was found stuck in a home’s wall as
decoration. Due to lack of education and knowledge, the could not understand his explanations on why AIDS is
dangerous, what happens to kids born with AIDS, and where they can get the pills.

 

Goal7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Mr. Kim realized the seriousness of the water issues not only when he saw people using drinking water for washing, but also the vice versa. To help these Sudanese, an industry kindly sent high-technology generators that could pump out
water from the underground that ran on electricity. Unsurprisingly, the generators ended up in the children’s hands
because they did not have enough energy to operate such machines and did not know how such technology worked.
Similarly, he found out that the land is actually fertile enough to operate an agricultural system, but because they lacked
agricultural technology and knowledge, they fall into idleness.

Goal8: Global Partnership for Development.
 

From all these experiences, he realized that what he and other people working in international bodies and partnerships
that support the developing nations need to do is ‘research.’ To gather correct information and database so that they
actually “know” the realities of each nation, rather than planning on surmises and speculations. The UN might seem as if they are doing nothing, but it is they who do the research with which the NGOs and other international organizations
raise funds.

Sudan is an impoverished nation, but at the same time, the most supported by the UN. But why are they showing second to no progression when countries like India and China, which were once in the same line receiving same or less help
than them, are prospering? Mr. Kim says that he has never heard a ‘thank you’ in Sudan. Their history filled with betrayal and embezzlement, the Sudanese neglects to depend on other nations for development, making the effects of the UN and other international organizations’ help temporal. However, Mr. Kim explains that this is not their fault, but our ignorance of their unique culture and history. “Like humans have different characteristics, so does the nations. We need to understand these characteristics: the history, culture, the environment, the weather, and so on. You think that you know, but when
you look at the real scenes, you’ll realize that reality is very different.” To promote sustainable development, the main goal of MDGs, we need to firstly research and understand them.

 

※ Tip for those who are interested in joining Mr. Kim:

Mr. Kim says that many students ask him what major they should choose and how high their TOEFL, TOEIC, and other
English scores have to be to work in the UN or NGOs. He says that his answers are always the same: follow your bliss and dream. In the book Succeed as the citizen of the world, not of Korea(한국인이 아닌 세계인으로 성공하라), he recalls when he and his team members of the OCHA, Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, gathered after a long day of work. All eight members were from different countries and all had different majors, ranging from social welfare to computer programmers. He quotes “Don’t accommodate yourself to the international organizations but apply your own merits to their needs.” Doing what you can do best and with joy is the quickest way to helping others be happy.

 

Two faces of Audition Programs-Is it a chance, or is it planned?

           Lately, programs such as American Idol and America’s Top Model have been taking over the television in the United States. In the spread of audition programs, in Korea, programs like Super Star K, Dancing with the Stars, Shin Yip Sa Won (New announcer of broadcasting station MBC) and etc. have been showing up also. Audition programs differ from regular television broadcasts because they have regular people instead of stars. Regular people compete for the chances they dreamt up. In American Idol, contestants sing with all their might to be a singer through the show. In Shin Yip Sa Won, people competed to become the next MBC, a Korean broadcast channel, announcer. Today, I interviewed each contestant from American Idol and Shin Yip Sa Won. These two people both participated in audition programs. Yet, they take different views about audition shows. One says it’s an everlasting experience, and the other says it’s an unfair competition. Let’s hear about the two sides of audition programs from these two participators.

 

                                            Tiffany Preston

                                                American Idol in United States.  

Q. Could you please introduce yourself?

A. My name is Tiffany Preston. I'm 19 years old, currently attend Grand Valley State University with a major in psychology and have a huge passion for music, my family and friends, and God.

Q. How did you get to participate in the American Idol show?

A. In order to participate in the American Idol show, I had to register in the audition city which was Kansas City, MO for me. You have to fill out forms and then when you register, you get a wristband and a number for your audition.

Q. What kind of experience was ' American Idol' to you?

A. American Idol was an interesting experience to say the least. It was a great opportunity to meet new people who have the same love for music as you and fun to be able to show the world what you love doing. Some things about the competition weren't very fair, including letting on contestants who obviously weren't on for the right reasons but to get fame or letting contestants on who couldn't sing. This didn't give people who actually had a talent to succeed in the competition because someone who wasn't talented at singing took their spot.

Q. Is there anything different about before the competition and after? If there is, what is it?

A. Before the competition, I didn't have as many opportunities to grow in music until I made it on the show. After the show, I was contacted by radio stations and newspapers which made me feel so blessed and humbled to be able to do these things.

Q. Would you recommend 'American Idol' to people with dreams of a singer? If yes (or no) why?

A. I wouldn't necessarily recommend American Idol to others who have dreams of becoming a singer because I believe the process isn't very fair. Those who don't make it with talent normally get cut if they don't have a shocking life story which in unfair.

 

                                                            Lee Siu 
                                            Shin Yip Sa Won  in South Korea

Q. Could you please introduce yourself?

Hello. I am model Lee Siu that has been taking responsibility of the Korean fashion. Actually, to be exact, I was. Now I’m Lee Siu who wants to take lead in Korean broadcast.

 

Q. How did you get to participate in the ‘Shin Yip Sa Won’ program?

Since I was young, I liked to talk in front of many people. Also since it made me very happy to make others laugh, I had a dream of becoming a MC. However due to my situations, I was bent on making money. So I chose the career of a model. While modeling, I forgot my dream. However through the encouragements my friends I decided to participate in the audition program. Most of all, the biggest appealing part was that there was no age or educational background limit. 

 

Q. What kind of experience was ' Shin Yip Sa Won’ to you?

It was the greatest experience in my life. Through the program I met many people. I’ve only met people in the fashion industry. However through this chance, I’m so happy to get to know many people in the broadcasting field. Most of all, despite of educational backgrounds, I felt that that I can do it through my passion in my dream.

 

Q. Is there anything different about before the competition and after? If there is, what is it?

When I walk around, many people seem to recognize me and cheer up me. If there is anything bad, because my image on the audition show was kind of humorous, the image still lasts even when I’m modeling now. It’s been hard to stand on runways.

 

Q. Would you recommend ‘Shin Yip Sa Won’ to people with dreams of a singer? If yes (or no) why?

I really recommend it. You earn what very much and I believe that learning in this kind of experience will give you lots of help.

 

Q. Was there a specific reason why you dreamt about becoming an MC, even while you were standing top in the fashion industry as a model?

While I was modeling, I had a chance to MC a show. Through this experience I was able to feel that this job was very charming. The woman MC was Ahn Hye Kyung and watching her talk so well impressed me. By this experience, I was able to dream about broadcasting once again.

*These two opinions about audition programs are personal opinions according to their very personal experience.

비가 추적추적 내리는 오후. 궂은 날씨에도 불구하고 남산 국립극장 앞 광장에 사람들이 모이기 시작한다. 하얀색, 하늘색 풍선들이 곳곳에서 눈에 띄는 이 곳은 바로 <2011 유니세프 사랑의 맨발걷기 대회>의 출발지점이다. 광장 앞 무대에서 걷기대회의 시작을 알리는 축하행사에 참여한 어린이, 중고생, 대학생들과 할머니 할아버지에 이르기까지 약2500명의 다양한 사람들의 표정이 설레임으로 가득 차 있었다. 비가 오는데도 불구하고 신발을 벗고 젖은 남산을 걷던 시민들. 그 어느 해보다 따뜻했던 2011년 사랑의 맨발걷기 대회의 이야기를 시작한다.

   유니세프 사랑의 맨발걷기대회가 17회를 맞았다. 올해 맨발걷기대회는, '맑은 물 파란 꿈 친구와 함께'라는 주제로 물을 얻기 위해 매일 먼 길을 신발도 없이 걸어야 하는 아이들을 생각해보고, 체험해 보자는 취지로 열렸다. 이번 행사에는 맨발걷기뿐만 아니라 각종 구호물품 체험, 물긷기 체험 등 행사의 취지에 맞는 다양한 체험행사도 같이 진행되었다.

   아프리카의 아이들을 돕는 데 쓰이는 구호물품을 알아볼 수 있는 스티커이다. 스티커를 다 모아야지 봉사시간을 받을 수 있었다.

맨발걷기대회가 개최되었던 5월 21일, 어두운 하늘은 당연하다는 듯이 비를 내렸지만, 개그맨 변기수의 진행으로 시작된 축하행사가 진행되는 동안, 비가 서서히 멎어가 순조로운 진행을 할 수 있었다. 인사말 및 행사안내가 끝난 후  <GO, Go아프리카>라는 이름으로 아프리카 인들의 전통악기 연주 및 춤 공연이 열렸다. 그들은 경쾌한 음악과 함께 아프리카 특유의 음색으로 참가자들을 사로잡았다. ‘한국 너무 사랑해요.’ 를 서툴게 발음하며 노래해 분위기를 더욱 끌어올리기도 하였다.

행사는 개그맨 변기수 씨의 사회로 진행되었다.

   축하행사가 끝난 후, 참가자들은 모두 걷기 대회의 시작을 알리는 선언과 함께 남산을 올랐다. 하지만 그날 비가 많이 내렸기 때문에, 신발을 벗지 않을 것을 권장하였다. 대부분의 시민들이 우산을 쓰고 신발을 신은 채 걸었다. ‘맨발’의 의미가 큰 행사이기에, 많은 기대를 하고 왔기 때문인지 몇몇 참가자들의 표정에 실망함이 역력했다. 그 때, 참가자들이 하나 둘 신발을 벗기 시작하였다. 아이의 신발을 벗겨주고 함께 맨발로 걷는 가족, 친구, 학생들과 할머니 할아버지까지. 과감히 신발을 벗고 비가 내린 땅을 밟는 사람들은 굉장히 설레고 뿌듯한 표정이었다. 맨발을 택한 그들은 신발을 신고 걷는 사람들의 시선을 받으면서 즐겁게 대회를 즐겼다. 초등학생 아이들은 차갑다고 하면서도 누구보다 신나있었고, 엄마 아빠 손을 잡고 걸어가는 어린아이들도 처음 해보는 경험에 들뜬 표정이었다. 우리가 지금 왜 맨발로 걷는지 설명해주는 학생들과 함께 온 초등학교 선생님도 있었다. 유니세프가 왜 ‘맨발’걷기 대회를 열어왔는지 가슴으로 깨닫게 되는 순간이었다.

   맨발로 걷는 길은 차갑고 딱딱했고 발은 금새 더러워졌다. 하지만 약 2시간의 걷기대회는 참가자들에게 평소에는 생각 조차 하지 않았던 지구 반대편 아이들을 생각하게 하는 시간이었다. 도착지점인 목멱산방에 다다른 참가자들의 발은 흙으로 지저분해졌지만 누구 하나 싫증 내는 사람 없었다. 비가 와서 오히려 더 특별했던 <2011 유니세프 사랑의 맨발 걷기 대회>는 그렇게 마무리 되었다.

   유니세프 사랑의 맨발 걷기 대회는 가족, 친구 또는 연인들과 특별한 추억도 만들고 5000원의 참가비는 기금으로 활용되어 내가 직접 가난한 어린이들을 도울 수 있는 일석이조의 대회다.
매년 열리는 행사이니, 올해 참가 기회를 놓친 사람들은 내년에 한번 참가해보도록 하자.

 

<영상취재: 서용민, 리포터: 최한나>

참가 신청은 유니세프한국위원회 누리집(www.unicef.or.kr)에서 할 수 있으며, 참가비는 5000원이다. 행사에 참여하는 모든 참가자에겐 4시간의 자원 봉사 확인증을 준다.

 

     People still believe Korea is a homogeneous ethnic group. Truly the majority of the population is Korean. However, Korea is no longer conservative and closed. The number of foreigners inhabiting in Korea increased by three times in a decade; more than one million foreigners live in Korea. Also they have formed villages (or mini-countries) in Korea. I will introduce foreign communities in my neighborhood, Seoul.

Suh-rae Village(서래마을), Petit France in Seoul

     
      Since 1985 Suh-rae Village (서래마을) in Banpo-dong Seocho-gu has been called French village in Seoul. As International French School moved to Suh-rae Village from Hannam-dong, more than half of total French population in Seoul also moved to Suh-rae Village and formed French village. You might imagine typical European village: pentagonal houses in rows, streets made of pebbles, and small flower bushes. But Suh-rae Village is Koreanized European village – it does not resemble traditional European village. It looks like common Korean town, and the French live like us, Koreans. They exercise at Park Montmartre on weekends; kids attend International French School.
      Villagers maintain European traditions, too. They hold Christmas party called French Christmas world. During the festival period, kids dress up in angel, Santa Claus, etc. costumes. Villagers prepare traditional Christmas food and share it with others.

Islamic Itaewon, Muslim Street 
 
     After the 6.25 war, the US army force moved into Itaewon. Besides foreign soldiers, other foreigners from Argentina, Denmark, Nigeria… started to live in Itaewon. Now, 70% of floating population is foreigner; different cultures coexist and mingle in Itaewon.

 < Image excerpt from http://cafe.naver.com/wdc2010.cafe?iframe_url-/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid-3650&>

      Yet Muslims who live in the Muslim Street try to maintain its unique culture. The street originated in 1970s when people from Middle East came to Korea as industrial labors. The street begins from the Bokwang elementary school in Itaewon. Iconic turquoise tiles and musk fill the street. Musk is open to public. But you should follow the Muslim etiquette: women should not enter the musk through center stairs, men and women pray at separate rooms.
      Around the musk are halal (food permissible according to Islamic Law) stores, Syrian bakeries, etc. Islam electronic store sells e-book Korans and cell phones with Koran-alarms which ring five times a day.

Love for Red, China Town
      Several Chinatowns are located in Korea. But besides the one built in Ilsan (2005), other Chinatowns are unofficial. China Town located along Daelim station and Nam Guro station in Seo-daemoon Gu is also unofficial one. 

<Image Exerpt from http://mojjustice.blog.me/150112048762>

     Whether the town is official or not, they all have strong Chinese atmosphere. Most apparently a lot of store signs are red and are written in Chinese characters. (The Chinese’ favorite color is red.) Moreover there are diverse Chinese restaurants: Yanbian nangmyun(냉면) restaurant, Chinese fried cookies shop, original Chinese restaurant…

More than just a Flee Market street, Philippine Street

<Image exerpt from www.worldyannews.co.kr>
     Philippine Street in Hyehwa-dong is renowned for flee market. Philippines who live in Korea call it “the 2nd Manila.” The market has eleven-year-long history; about a decade ago, Philippine Catholic priest visited Korea and started the flee market. Unlike other flee markets, people sell Philippine products. You can taste Filipino food like Balut (boiled egg), cassava (cheese-cake), and sausage. 
 

 
      There are other foreign towns in Seoul such as Little Tokyo (Dongbu Ichon-dong), Nepal road (Changshin-dong), and Russian village (Dongdae-moon). And even more are located outside Seoul. Foreigners have now become our neighbors. Whenever you want refreshment but lack time for a short trip, try visiting foreign-neighborhood in Korea.

/MIZY Youth Reporters Yeong-ran Ahn

  2011 미지 청소년 기자단 여름 워크샵이 열립니다.

이번 워크숍 중 열리는 국제활동설명회를 공개강연으로 마련하였습니다.

반기문 유엔 사무총장의 재임으로 청소년들 사이에서 유엔과 2015년까지 유엔을 중심으로 전 세계가 추진하고 있는 MDG(Millenium Development Goal, 새천년개발목표)에 대한 관심이 더욱 커진 만큼 이번 워크숍의 주제는 'MDG와 국제활동'으로 정하였습니다.

유엔과 MDG로 대표되는 전 지구적인 이슈들, 그리고 국제활동에 관심이 많은 청소년을 환영합니다.

참가를 원하는 청소년은 이름, 학교(소속), 연락처와 함께 이메일(meint@mizy.net)로 신청해주시기 바랍니다.

공간이 협소한 관계로 중학생 이상의 청소년 50명만 선착순으로 접수할 예정입니다. (참가비 없음)

10명 이상 단체의 경우 전화(02-755-1024, 내선 114-이장은)로 참석가능 여부를 확인한 후 단체 대표가 참가자 명단(이름, 소속)을 보내주시기 바랍니다.

Beijing’s struggle to spread its environmental spirit all over the world!

   From 7^th to 10^th of June, people from all over the world gathered in Beijing exhibition center. The world’s largest environmental exhibition was being held, and countless firms and government officials visited here to learn more about Beijing’s growing interest in the environment and its environmental market. CIEPEC (China International Exhibition Protection Exhibition and Conference) was an extraordinarily superb opportunities for a variety of people, including youth.

 In front of the entrance of CIEPEC's main hall, the place where visitors' loads were checked.

   Right after getting a free ticket, there was a quick monitor of my loads just like the one in the airport. After that, writing a register and getting a card were still required. After having finished passing through all those complex ‘entrance tests’, the world’s largest environmental exhibition center halls emerged in front of my eyes.

  Colossal main halls 1A and 1B exhibited Chinese local firms’ products, and the rest of the ten more halls exhibited the products and seminars from China, Korea, Japan, USA, Belgium, Italy, Canada, France, Hong Kong and so on. Hong Kong pavilion had a very lively and exotic atmosphere. “We dismantle computers into the pieces of components and extract useful materials from them or recycle them into another products,” said a representative of an electronic recycling company in Hong Kong, the Li Tong Group. “Our main environmental aim is to ‘reduce natural resources exploitation’. To tell you our standard operating procedures, firstly, we get goods and verify weight and quantify them. Secondly, we remove labels with customers’ intellectual properties. We dismantle, separate and sort the goods. Thirdly, we destroy them and weigh the materials. Lastly, weight verification and issue certification of destruction is carried on. An example for our company’s job can be extracting gold from electric chips and shred parts of computer components into ferrous. We wish to extract as much as we can to save one more useful raw materials and natural resources.”

   CIEPEC was a brisk and delightful exhibition. This time in 2011, CIEPEC had its 12^th exhibition in Beijing which started 24 years ago; It is held once in two years. Numerous firms revealed their environmentally friendly products at CIEPEC. Some of them had tanks which filtered polluted water into cleaner tap water, a newly-made flow meters and brand-new machines which measured the level of pollution in the air for 24 hours. Also, several seminars about their environmental strategies and policies were held at parts of each hall. The students interested in environment and environmental business as well as geography and science would be welcomed to visit CIEPEC, as they can attend seminars and wander around and listen to each pavilions’ representatives’ speeches and explanations.

   Now the CIEPEC is receiving more and more attention, as it is one of the international meetings in China, a new "star nation" which has growing markets in almost all fields. It is not a bad idea if one interested in environmental areas visit this extremely huge and enthusiastic ‘environmental festival’ with a Chinese friend beside him. CIEPEC is one of the revealers of China’s growing interest in environment, which rapidly mounted around the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 1993, China was refused to hold Olympic games in Beijing due to its environmental problems. Since then, Chinese government embarked on environmental plans and projects to appeal the world with the image of a better nature and environment.

Beijing’s environmental condition in 2011!

As described above, Chinese government has struggled to raise the quality of China’s environment and to obtain more concerns and helps from all over the world; for example, through CIEPEC, China drew the world's attention on its environmental market. 

    “Breathe in, and feel the delicious chemicals in the air of Beijing!” My friend shouted out loud as we had just placed our sneakers on the land of Beijing international airport in 2008. Beijing was infamous for its environmental pollution and the areas rife with garbage due to the past’s rapid industrialization. However, Beijing in the year of 2011 is not the one like Beijing in the past anymore. China and its government is striving to be ‘greener’ right now.

When I just came to Beijing as a little student in 2006, I shivered in a tiny guilt for dropping glasses of juice, used tissues, torn and ripped plastic bags and unrecyclable wastes in the ‘same’ garbage bin. As a girl whom entirely got used to separate garbage collection system, I was shocked to see people throwing away garbage without any identification for the recyclable garbage in Beijing. However, by now, more and more Beijing citizens are taking ‘greener’ actions. Beijing in 2011 has the rubbish bins with ‘recyclable’ and ‘other wastes’ sections for the most of its streets.

Beijing’s street in the middle of June had relatively clean and neat figure. Street cleaners in orange uniform were sweeping the street and there was no rubbish on the street. “It seems there is not much garbage, but it’s because we all clean it up,” said a man, one of the street cleaners. “Several people still lack the awareness to put garbage in the rubbish bin. They attach posters and advertisements onto walls and throw garbage away at any place.” Unlike Beijing citizens’ answers that the street is free from much garbage than the past, the cleaners disapproved this. However, in some places, citizens were following the ‘green action’. “Well, we separately put garbage into the bins in our house!” Two local school children said with a definite tone. “I separately throw away wastes from the kitchen and the recyclable ones,” said a housewife in a village. There has been gradual change in the view on the recycle by Beijing citizens.

  However, it was a different case for the residents in a poor local village. On the grayish and dusty cement, piles of garbage were mingled into smelly balls, and almost everyone in the village did not separately dump rubbish. Also, there was no suitable trash can for such action. Though it started to show several advances in the Beijing streets to get rid of countless garbage, several poor villages still suffer from the garbage. It seemed there should be more emphasis of cleaning garbage by Chinese government for them to live in a much more neat and clean environment. My math teacher, a ChaoXianZu(ethnic Korean immigrants living in China) explained this situation. "Clearly, as Chinese government has strived to get better in its envrionment around 2008, although people still throw away garbage anywhere, the increased number of street cleaners these days clean up all the garabage in the street. Only those local villages still need more recognition of the importance of cleaning rubbish."

An untidy road in the rural area of Beijing (top).

 
     Neat and clean road in the middle of city; a man is carrying blue recyclable bottles with his bicycle (bottom).

   API (Air Pollution Index) is the measurement of a certain place’s air pollution. 101 API shows unhealthy level, 201 a very unhealthy level, and 301 a very dangerous level. The air of Beijing usually has the API of between 60~90, 20~50 when favorable, and 100~120 when the air is heavily thick with dust and sand. Numerous people are interested in Beijing’ atmosphere, as most of them bet its poor quality. However, most of the Beijing citizens considered the air quality as satisfying and breathable. Some of them even said the quality improved after the 2008 Beijing Olympic game. Before the Olympic games, Beijing were made embarrassing as several athletes publicly announced that they were not participating in the Olympics due to the shoddy quality of Beijing’s air.

  By now, Beijing has much more sunny days with brighter and fresher air. The average API of Beijing from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2007 is known to be around 92.8, but the average API from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2011 is 63.4. There has been much change in the air quality before and after the Olympics. Since the average API from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2008, right before the Olympic game which was in August is around 57.6, it can be considered that Beijing Olympic games had served as a momentum for Beijing to endeavored to make a development its air quality; as what Beijing citizens exactly said. For example, as Beijing is always crowded, Chinese government aimed to reduce cars in China into 240,000 for the air with less chemicals and pollution.

Crowded Beijing full of cars and people; the air that day was a little foggy and stifling.

   These all show Chinese government's attempts for a higher quality of its nature, especially the one in its capital city, Beijing. Obviously, Beijing's environment has made a progress compared to the past, before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Even though several people criticize China for the  pollution in the air, rivers, oceans, forests, soil, food and so on, the fact that China and Beijing's land is too large for the total perfection evenly spread all over their land in the natural environment and the another fact that compared to speedy industrialization, Chinese government has made a great deal of efforts such as numbers of events, exhibitions like CIEPEC, prohibiting smoking inside public places, giving credits to environmentally-friendly companies, roof greening...etc cannot be ignored.

Now the world's eyes are on China, and some even expect it to be the world's most powerful country soon in the future. Its environmental issues will determine China's future of becoming a such country. Beijing's environment, will it make China number one or the last one?