– On issues concerning two Koreas and the Israel-Palestine relations 
– Launching the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign. 

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 are being engaged in a peace debate as part of the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign. 

They will be engaged in a debate concerning two Koreas and the Israel-Palestine relations. It is very unusual and exceptional to see young people of Israel and Palestine, the parties to the long-held territory disputes, engaged in a peace debate. 

It is also regarded as a significant attempt for young people of Korea, the only nation in the world remaining divided, and of Israel and Palestine to have such an opportunity that is hoped to plant the seed for lasting peace at a venue close to the DMZ dividing the two Koreas. 

A piece of barbed wire cut from what is placed between the two Koreas, a piece of the wall collected from what demarcates Israel and Palestine, and a shrapnel collected from a bomb exploded in a terrorist’s attack are displayed at a corner of the peace debate venue to remind the attendees of the importance of peace. 

At a ceremony for launching the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign, following the peace debate, the attendees to the debates will announce peace initiative based on what was discussed at the debate. 

Other activities that the attending students from Israel and Palestine will be engaged in until September 6 include Peace Camp (Aug. 30), a friendly soccer match (Aug. 31), visit to the JSA at Panmunjeom (Sept. 1), voluntary activity designed to help busy farmers (Sept. 2), stay at a Buddhist temple (Sept. 4 at Heungguk Temple), a visit to the Israeli Embassy in Seoul (Sept. 5), and a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the National Assembly (Sept. 5). 

They plan to invite North Korean students to a session of the “We Are KOPAIS (Korea, Palestine, Israel) Friends” campaign to be held in Jerusalem next summer.