On November 12, Gyeonggi Province holds ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People

◇ On November 12, Gyeonggi Province Social Integration Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo attended the ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People’ and gave a congratulatory address to encourage the supporters who have worked hard to help multicultural families and migrants. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-riang

At 2:00pm on November 12, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and IOM Migration Research & Training Centre hosted the ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People’ in Gwanggyo Hall on the first floor of the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Support Center.

More than 300 guests attended the session including Gyeonggi Province Social Integration Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo, IOM Migration Research & Training Centre Director Jang Joon-oh, staff members of the Gyeonggi Multicultural Family Support Center, personnel with multiculturalism-related NGOs, and multicultural family supporters. 

The ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People’ was held in order to: a) establish a cooperative platform across the private, public, and academic sectors capable of being utilized as a key channel for the effective yet sustainable flow of policies pertaining to foreigners and multiculturalism, and b) provide appropriate policy ideas to satisfy existing residents as well as various foreign residents. 

The event began with a congratulatory address and a ceremony to present awards to 36 supporters who have made significant contributions to the multicultural family project. 

The award ceremony for multicultural family supporters selected 31 of the most active married migrant supporters from each city and county of the province this year for Meritorious Service Awards. Namyangju Multicultural Family Support Center Interpreter and Translator Tumurbatar Narangchechek, and Gapyeong Officer Cho Sang-hee also received Meritorious Service Awards. As for the Most Outstanding Organization Award, the Multicultural Family Support Center in Gimpo won the honor while its counterparts in Namyangju and Gapyeong both won the Outstanding Organization Awards. Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo delivered the awards to the winners himself and offered his congratulations.

◇ Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo poses for a photo after conferring the awards and congratulating all winners at the award ceremony for multicultural family supporters. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-riang

In his congratulatory address, Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo said, “I’d like to thank our supporters for their work over the past year. Your help in finding migrants and multicultural families in need of help and offering assistance is deeply is appreciated. The Vice Governor added, “I can’t imagine how hard it is for migrants to adapt to Korea. The interest and care extended by our supporters goes a long way in healing the wounds of those migrants and helping them integrate with Korean society.”

Vice Governor Lee continued, “I heard Gyeonggi Province will discuss issues that help promote multicultural and migration policies. I urge you to engage in those discussions intently and participate in Gyeonggi Province’s multicultural policies. I can’t think of anything else more valuable than our supporters helping migrants settle in our country. I wish you great success.” The Vice Governor also said, “Promote successful activities so that others can benchmark your success, and share difficulties that aren’t accepted well by the local community to help find smart solutions. If you’re able to do so, you will achieve great results.”

Presentations on policies took place including: ‘Report on migration and multicultural network activities in Gyeonggi Province and means to improve the efficiency of foreigner and multiculturalism policies in Gyeonggi Province’ by IOM Migration Research & Training Centre Researcher Dr. Jeong Ki-seon; ‘Methods to promote projects to support business startups and employment searches by multicultural families’ (Professor Lee Kyeong-sook, Shinhan University); ‘Methods to offer education and career advice to migrant children’ (Dr. Shin Hyeon-ok and Researcher Yoon Sang-seok, Global Multiculturalism Research Center, Hanyang University); ‘The role of professionals in helping multicultural families sustain themselves (Professor Choi Hyeon-mi, Pyeongtaek University); and ‘Methods to induce the participation of foreign residents in our society’ (Choi Yeong-mi, Gyeonggi Province Institute of Family and Women, and Choi Yeong-il, Foreign Resident Support Center).

Between August and October, Hanyang University, Pyeongtaek University, Shinhan University, and the Gyeonggi Province Institute of Family and Women conducted debating sessions for the private, public, and academic sectors in addition to field interviews. 

◇ Various presentations were made at the event including the ‘Report on migration and multicultural network activities in Gyeonggi Province and means to improve the efficiency of foreigner and multiculturalism policies in Gyeonggi Province’, and ‘Methods to promote projects to support business startups and employment search by multicultural families’. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-riang 

Dr. Jeong Ki-seon said, “In our country, the central government has led multiculturalism and foreigner policies. Municipal organizations have followed master plans for foreigner policies and multicultural family policies.” Dr. Jeong also explained, “The characteristics of migrants are different in each region of Gyeonggi Province; therefore, we need customized policies to bring all of them together. As a result, the demand for multiculturalism policies within Gyeonggi Province is on the rise.” 

Dr, Jeong continued, “Gyeonggi Province has a wide range of residents, and we need to improve our workforce capable of executing policies for different people.” He reasoned, “Although a pilot project will be implemented, Gyeonggi Province has to be systematic and prepare customized policies for each region by communicating with various activists and experts.”

Meanwhile Professor Lee Kyeong-sook used Uijeongbu City as an example of the provision of employment programs tailored to migrants to describe current training programs that are detached from employment. Professor Lee recommended four policies pertaining to the employment of migrants including: establishing a multicultural network centered on major cities, integrating with local communities, operating foreigner business incubators, and creating a foreigner food street.

In her presentation regarding ‘Methods to offer education and career advice for migrant children’, Dr. Shin Hyeon-ok proposed: creating public ordinance to support immigrant adolescents in Gyeonggi Province; preparing career and employment training for immigrant adolescents; and creating a system that links different regions to offer psychological support.

◇ Later on at the ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People’, round table discussions, open discussions, and Q&A sessions were held regarding the four presentation areas. Pictured: Participants exchange their opinions. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-riang

Later on at the ‘Conversation with 500 Multicultural People’, round table discussions, open discussions, and Q&A sessions were held regarding the four presentation areas. Round table discussions facilitated the exchange of different opinions on four topics including: employment and business startups (Professor Lee Kyeong-sook, Researcher Shim Hyeong-seok, Dr. Cho Yeong-hee); migration (Researcher Yoon Sang-seok, Team Manager Eun Soo-yeon, Dr. Oh Jeong-eun); service delivery systems (Professor Choi Hyeon-mi, Yongin Multicultural Family Support Center Director An Hee-jeong, Gimpo Multicultural Family Support Center Director Kim Yeon-hwa); and social participation (Dr. Choi Yeong-mi, Director Choi Yeong-il, Chairman Shin Sang-rok).

IOM Migration Research & Training Centre Manager Oh Jeong-eun, who chaired the round table discussion on migration, said, “The state of migrants changes rapidly. I’d like to hear your opinions so as to go beyond theoretical facts and create realistic policies.” She prompted the audience to voice their ideas.

At the open discussion where the results were announced, Researcher Shim Hyeong-seok said, “It was a great opportunity to meet people who work in the field.” He added, “I think it’s important to help directors at each center solve problems focusing on major cities, and to create an environment in which people can focus on the field.”

Director An Hee-jeong said, “Please focus on improving the competencies of people working in the field. We need the provincial government to help improve remuneration for our workers.” Director An also said, “We’ve been pleading for some improvement in remuneration for 10 years in today’s multicultural society to no avail. I hope Gyeonggi Province can create a relay system that is less dependent on the central government.”

An award-winning UCC at the PLURAL+ 2014 UNAOC titled ‘Immigration and Diversity’ was aired before the event and captured the attention of the participants.

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Choi Hyeon-ho kanonjar@gmail.com 

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201511121638117055C048&s_code=C048