– College students from Korea, Israel and Palestine launched the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign, adopting a joint communiqué and planting a tree as a token of their wish for lasting peace in their land. 

Thirty college students of Korea, Israel and Palestine currently attending the World Peace Festival (President: Sohn Hak-kyu) hosted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office and sponsored by the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation attended a debate session on the subject of A Way to Peaceful Coexistence between Israel and Palestine held at Dorasan Station near DMZ on September 1 as part of the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign. 

The students (ten from Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, ten from Bethlehem University and Birzet University, and ten from Korean universities) also exchanged opinions on the relations between the two Koreas. 

At the ceremony for launching the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign held after the debate, the students announced a joint initiative based on what was discussed at the debate and planted a tree on the ground in front of a cafe named “Annyeong!” as a token of their wish for lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. 

Thus, Dorasan became a landmark venue for discussion about peace, coexistence, unification and preciousness of life by youths from Korea, Israel and Palestine, the parties to the long-held territory disputes. 

In his welcome speech at the debate session, Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-kyu expressed his hope that the peace message of the youths will start the process of reconciliation and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula, the last remaining cold war site, and that youths from Israel and Palestine will remain as true friends. He also said he was glad to see that the intention of the World Peace Festival was well reflected in the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign. 

Next summer, North Korean students will be invited to the second session of the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign to be held in Jerusalem.