However, ISRC changed its name to International Center for Youth (ICY) and also established a Korean branch to help Korean students who are preparing to study abroad and foreign students who are studying in Korea.
The newly transformed ICY is now targeting international students in Korea and other countries.
In honor of the establishment of ICY, a foundation ceremony was held on Nov. 18. During the first part of the foundation ceremony, foreign students studying in Korea participated in “Student Committee without Borders Summit Conference,” discussing the difficulties of international students and possible solutions to create a healthy Korean society that truly embraces foreigners.
At the end of the summit conference, the participants issued a joint statement including four main clauses: to have regular conferences, to organize a campaign to create a healthier Korea, to plan movements against discrimination and to volunteer for community service as members of this society.
After the summit conference, the second part of the ceremony commemorated the new beginning of the ICY and its blooming projects. Most significantly, the first publication of “World Class” webzine was celebrated.
World Class is a webzine where about 60 reporters from 16 different countries located in Asia, Oceania, Europe and the United States convey news of their countries and information about Korean student associations. Its ultimate goal is to create a warm space for communication where international students can talk about their troubles and empathize with each other, rather than simply discussing information.
Even though ICY in Korea is at its starting line, the organization has already ambitiously set up its goals to achieve.
“In the long run, ICY aims to set up centers in countries around the world to become a true global organization,” said Kim In-soo, the president of ICY. “We also hope to designate a ‘Day of International Students’ so their contributions to the society could gain recognition”
At the newly open ICY, students actually operate the organization by both planning and running the businesses themselves. The Seoul Student Volunteer Committee consists of more than 40 members, including not only Korean students but also foreign students who recently joined the organization.
There are also about 20 students working for the Busan Student Volunteer Committee. Together, they are currently working on the Arizona and Mexico volunteering project, The Third World University Student Winter Camp and language exchange program.
“We aim to promote ICY to people continuously so people could make efforts for the interaction, cooperation and protection of rights regarding international students,” said Kang Min-jung, the head of Seoul Student Volunteer Committee group. “In order to achieve this goal, we will first continue to carry on projects that are helpful to international students. We are always willing to work with youths who have similar dreams as ICY.”
Yang Hae-in
allesy94@ewhain.net