The Box of 'LIKES' by MANNAM The PEACE #1. INDIGO SOWON

The first one I picked from the box of 'Likes' is INDIGO SOWON in Namcheon, Busan. Most readers don't know well, but the reason that I chose this is Indigo Sowon gave me fresh ideas and introduced many books to help make The PEACE.

Indigo Sowon is a nonprofit humanities bookstore for youth founded by Korean human right activist, Aram Hur. The first time that I met Indigo was when they held 'Indigo Youth Book Fair 2010.' Its poster has one elephant, and the title was '가치를 다시 묻다 (Re-evaluation of Values.)'  It caught my eyes and I met many valuable books and activists for human values.

Since then, I have subscribed its newsletter and often visited the homepage or the bookstore in Namcheon. There are many activities and useful sources for humanities and youth. Especially, many books of humanities that we cannot discover when just dropping by usual bookstores. Of course, most of books are in Korean language, so I am sorry for it.

Before when I held the 1st MANNAM The PEACE talk concert, I scrapped news and read other books related to peace movements and at that time, lists of books on Indigo website helped me a lot and I got inspiration from them. One of them is <Enough Blood Shed: 101 Soluntion to Violence, Terror, and War> of Mary-Wynne Ashford and Guy Dauncey. Mary-Wynne Ashford came to Busan for the 2nd UN Youth Peace Camp co-hosted by the Commemorative Organization for World Peace and Indigo Sowon. She was a guest speaker and 220 teenagers participated in the symposium. I missed her speech but bought her book and it really helped me and team members a lot. Next week, I will introduce about her book.

Indigo Sowon has offered the place where youth can share their ideas freely.

They do not learn and study certain subjects according to curriculum, instead,

 they are discussing human, war, terror, peace, environment, poverty, equality, education, etc. and express their ideal and ideas. Through it, they even publish their magazine 'INDIGO+ing' not just learning and accepting the established knowledge. And since 2010, 'INDIGO', the international version of 'INDIGO+ing' written in English has been published. The magazine is published once every two months.

I was surprised to see many youth think about human seriously and discuss about issues which we face today on the earth. And thank Indigo Sowon for making the place where we re-discover books which are hidden but valuable to read, encouraging Korean youth to think about human values, and doing many conferences and symposiums for teenagers. People who run Indigo Sowon, including Aram Hur, they might know that youth have power to make change the society and move world. Their thinking is more flexible than adults.

When preparing the 2nd The PEACE talk concert, Rodrigo talked about the importance of education for youth. He had a chance to join the program which connects international students in universities with elementary or middle schools, and makes them teach their culture or other worldwide issue to children. He saw many students show open mind to any culture and they are active to understand the cultural differences. Then, he said he believes education is very important to make world peace.

In that point, Indigo Sowon, the special humanities bookstore for youth, are doing really great things to make world more beautiful to live together and they are establishing world peace. After World Peace Festival, MANNAM formed networks with many international youth organizations. And this year, MANNAM initiated MIYC with international youth organizations, dreaming great projects and programs with many international youth organizations. When designing programs, Indigo Sowon's ideas or past events also can help us set up, I think. :) One thing that I want more is that if there are more active programs beyond just discussion, it will be definitely great!

And all readers who live in Korea or has a chance to visit Busan, Korea! I recommend to visit Indigo Sowon or visit their website (it's linked their 2010 youth book fair Eng. version)
If you get off Namcheon subway station and go upstairs through Exit #1, you can find Indigo bookstore in 5 minitues walk. If you get lost, contact to me, haha :) Oh, plus, in front of Indigo, there is a cafeteria called Eco-topia, where you can get fresh foods of which ingredients are eco-friendly. And you can't meet Indigo on Monday like a public library or museum!

MANNAM Volunteer Association in South Korea 5: Declaration of Unification

  These days, international societies are worrying about Korean Peninsula, especially the escalating tension between South Korea and North Korea. Some of friends not in Korea may send messages or call their friends in Korea and ask if they feel the sign of war. This issue is being covered in daily news every day and it makes me worry about Korea and think of the past histories of Korea and Korean War. A few of person argue the war between two Koreas then Korean Peninsula will be reunified. However, is it the best way of reunification?

  War with the arms – nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, landmines, uranium munitions – causes countless victims to be killed or live in pain in their whole life. Especially, nuclear weapons – I’ll write about it later posts – are many times powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. Today’s typical bomb (150-kiloton) would cause between 730,000 and 8,660,000 deaths depending on the population density of the city.[1]

  Can you imagine what will happen in Korea if war breaks out? Why do we have to pay numerous deaths to reunify Korea although we can achieve peaceful unification?

  You may agree the reunification of Korea or not and you may agree peaceful unification or not. But the one thing that you keep in mind is that violence begets violence, terror inspires terror, and war gives rise to war. If Korea will not be unified, there is still the probability of a war in the world. And if Korea achieved unification through war, there is still the probability of a war, too!

  Recently, I read Declaration of Unification from MANNAM official website: mannamintl.org when visiting to see the newly updated site to get sources to introduce national events of our organization. It is worth reading. It was written by 33 representatives of citizens. The main representative writer is Man Hee Lee who is the honorary chairman of MANNAM Volunteer Association. Many controversies are there about him. The members never want a certain religious group to rule / occupy our MANNAM. Rather, whatever religions members have, MVA members try to tolerate one another and make harmonious life together. Despite of controversies around him, his experience of war and an insight into histories cannot be ignored.

Here are the parts of Declaration of Unification:

           …we are still pointing guns at people of our own race. How can this be the will of our forefathers, patriots and the Korean people today?
 First, just like East and West Germany, the leaders of South and North Korea must gather to discuss unification for the sake of this country and its citizens. This is not only the wish of the nation and its people but the peace the whole world whishes for. Second, if our leaders truly love this nation and its citizens, they will work to establish a unified nation the citizens with for and a country where people live happily in abundance. How can a nation which is divided stand with confidence in this world? The leaders of South and North Korea must ensure that the Korean Peninsula will not be shamed. Third, we must all lay down our weapons and allow our citizens to travel freely throughout the Korean Peninsula.

Peace cannot come from gun. How do you think? 

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[1] Mary-wynne Ashford & Guy Dauncey. (2006). Enough Blood Shed: 101 Solutions to Violence, Terror and War. Canada: New Society Publishers.