Gyeonggi Provincial Government invites participating families to share their thoughts and feelings on December 12; a total of 60 families (14 families this year) have benefited from the project

Gyeonggi Province will host activities on December 4 including excursions to Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace and the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Museum, as well as kimchi making, and hanbok wearing

◇ On December 12, Gyeonggi Province hosted an invitational briefing session for families who participated in the multicultural family homecoming project at the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Support Center. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

Gyeonggi Province created an opportunity for communication and accord by inviting and listening to the thoughts and opinions of families who participated in the ‘multicultural family homecoming project’ which began in May 2015.

According to a provincial government statement released on December 14, Gyeonggi Province hosted an invitational briefing session for families who participated in the multicultural family homecoming project at the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Support Center in Suwon at 4:00pm on December 12.

With 55 people from 13 multicultural families in attendance, the event featured: the reporting of results of the multicultural family homecoming project; homecoming case study presentations; commemorative photos; the presentation of commemorative albums; and a dinner banquet.

In particular, the homecoming case study presentations gave people an opportunity to make an overall assessment of this year’s project. Also, the session was a chance to set a direction for the project in 2016. Apart from business, the dinner banquet not only gave the guests the chance to create human networks with multicultural families but also to strengthen their bonds.

Yanjulie Ansedeno (the Philippines) from Pyeongtaek City, who presented her case at the meeting, said, “I sincerely thank Gyeonggi Province and the sponsors who helped me see my family back home whom I haven’t seen for a long time.” Ansedeno added, “Our entire family taking a flight and visiting my hometown made me feel so happy, it was like a dream I will never forget.”

Gattori Teryuyo (Japan) from Gwacheon City said, “The thought of going home kept me up all night.” Gattori added, “I was so glad and happy I could see my family back home with my beloved husband and children.”

In his welcoming address, Gyeonggi Province Family and Women’s Division Director Cho Yeong-il emphasized the purpose of the homecoming project, saying, “Corporate social responsibility played a vital role in Gyeonggi Province’s multicultural family homecoming project, and it’s very meaningful in terms of spreading the sense of a local community.”

Cho continued, “The provincial government is working hard to create a better world, a warmer Gyeonggi Province. I hope our multicultural families feel proud and hopeful as Gyeonggi residents.”

There are currently 89,877 multicultural family members (married immigrants included, children excluded) residing in Gyeonggi Province. This accounts for 29.4% of the 305,446 multicultural family members across the nation. 

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government was able to secure sponsorship from the Korea Gas Corporation’s Gyeonggi District Division and Jeju Air last March by directly proposing a project that would provide multicultural families, who haven’t been able to return home because of financial difficulties, with a chance to visit home. In May, the three organizations signed an official agreement for this project. In July, KT Pops Security CEO Goo Hee-tae offered to sponsor the living costs for the homecoming project and held ceremony to transfer the funds.

As part of this project, Gyeonggi Province covers return tickets, living expenses, commemorative album production costs, fuel surcharges, and more for approximately 220 multicultural individuals from more than 55 multicultural families over three years. So far, 60 people from 14 households have had the opportunity to visit their home countries. 

◇ May 2015, a signing ceremony for the ‘Multicultural Family Homecoming Project’ was held at the Office of the Governor of Gyeonggi Province. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Lee Jun-kyun eyekle@hanmail.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201512141129297055C048&s_code=C048