One and Half month left, looking back my 2013 with MANNAM and Hope for Peace

How was your 2013? It's 13th, November, 2013. One and half month are left. If you can choose some keywords for summarizing your year, which words will you choose? I want to pick two words, 'MANNAM' and 'Peace.' Exactly saying, there are more some sub-keywords related to them, such as 'MIYC' and 'The Peace.' 

The war in the world haven't been stopped yet. The world is still in war, and many people suffer from it. It is caused by separation and non-tolerance among different political parties, different sexes, different cultures, different nationalities, and different religions. I have heard and seen many cases that is not in peace this year, discussing with friends from all over the world in The Peace talk concert programs. Our branch MANNAM Busan North started in January, and soon 11th concert is coming. 


Doing discussions, I found that all people have hope for peace and they want peace in their life, country, family, and friends. The second part was usually discussion time and we discuss about how we make peace. Of course, depending on the topic, solutions were various, however, there was always one basic thing in all solutions. It's 'Understanding.' 


Understanding does not happen suddenly. It can be possible when we gather, discuss, and cooperate through creating a network. This year, MANNAM and other youth organizations made a network named MANNAM International Youth Coalition. One of the peace projects was the peace walk, 10km in their shoe with POP (Pledge of Peace) in April. 

In May,  All MANNAM members were also invited to participate in the event. Especially, MIYC youth representatives attended and walked together, too. It was impressive for me to see that about more than 20,000 people gathered and walked for peace together. Peace leader Mr.Lee announced the Declaration of World Peace and cry '만세! (Man-sae, a word used in Korea and China, like 'Hurruh.') Here are some parts of the declaration:

We call on the heads of state of every country to sign an international agreement - a commitment to bringing all wars to an end. We ask them to do this from a spirit of deepseated love for the people of their country. 

We call on all youth to unite in an effort to stop wars and pursue the restoration of peace by agreeing not to fight one another. For World Peace to become a reality, this is the duty of all youth, everywhere. The only way to stop the fighting and pointless, tragic deaths, is to stop fighting. Nobody can ask for anything greater than this, and know now that your efforts - the efforts of the young people of the world today in pursuit of peace - will remain as a never fading light of life for all future generations. 

Furthermore, we call on every person, every man, woman, and child in the world, to pick up the mantle of peace. In whatever way you can, we ask that you work t further the cause of world peace and restoration, making it a reality in your direct environments. 

Lastly, we call on the media to port responsibly and promote a message of peace to the world.

After walking together in this event in May, We were connected much more strongly. 
I expect the MANNAM INTL to make many great projects next year, looking forward to seeing youth people in MANNAM and all youth organizations all over the world work together. 

This year, I found hope for peace, and now I believe my hope for peace is not unrealistic one, and hope world peace to be achieved and want to witness it is realized in my life. There is no peace yet in the world, but I was and am happy to be with MANNAM, because there is hope and MANNAM made me believe it can be possible. 

All youth, Let's do peace!  

What I Have Learned in MANNAM Volunteer Association: Prologue

What do you know about MANNAM Volunteer Association?

Have you ever met people in MANNAM or joined its activities?

Do you know about our motto?

MANNAM Volunteer Association started in 2003, based on Ap-gu-jeong, Seoul, South Korea, and it has been growing to be one of the largest international volunteer association. I joined MANNAM at the end of 2011, in Busan. Busan branch started then. 

What is merit or attractiveness which made me and other people join and work together? There are several reasons, I summarize them into four. 

• Love and Understanding among Members; we break down the barrier of difference. 

In MANNAM International, there are a lot of people who come from all over the world. We do communicate with each other, and different people who have different nationalities, cultures, religions, and political views. We break down the barrier among us called 'Difference' little by little. 

• Opportunities to Volunteer; Extension of Love

There are many opportunities to volunteer in local communities in MANNAM. We visited nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals, welfare centers to help people who need help and care. Also, we held many cultural concerts or festivals for donations and we held awareness campaign for people who suffered from natural disasters. This year, MANNAM International Youth Coalition held the walk for peace on April. 

The Busan branch started '더(The) Radio Campaign' for elders who live alone, presenting them radios as their friends, and every 2nd and 4th Saturday, we are attending the Soup Kitchen.

• Understanding Based on Learning Other Cultures

Working and volunteering together, I met many people who are different from me. First, I could not understand and had difficulty communicating with them, but in MANNAM, through many events and other cultural programs, I learned about other cultures and other people's thought. Through learning, we can understand better each other. 

• People; you can learn many things from volunteers in MANNAM

I want to tell you what I have learned in MANNAM Volunteer Association for last two years.

I have met many nice volunteers, and the Honorary Chairman Man Hee Lee 

and the Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim are also among them. 

So, now, do you wonder the details/stories/information about MANNAM Volunteer Association? I will tell you about MANNAM A to Z! I want to write using a word which includes an alphabet character. 

I hope you not to misunderstand MANNAM, but to understand MANNAM, even though you do not like or do not want to join us. You just need to tolerate us. You do not need to love us, you do not need to accept us, you do not need to lead us, but just tolerate. 

MANNAM Volunteer Association, now this is the part of my life.  

MANNAM The PEACE : Peace Quote 001 "If all is set right within one society,"-Man Hee Lee

The Box of 'LIKES' by MANNAM The PEACE #2. ENOUGH BLOOD SHED: 101 Solutions to Violence, Terror and War

Enough Blood Shed (the image is from www.newsociety.com/Books/E/Enough-Blood-Shed)
: 101 Solutions to violence, terror, and war 
(Mary-wynne Ashford & Guy Dauncey. (2006). Canada: New Society Publishers)

When I looked for books and journals about peace and peace campaigns, skimming the list of Indigo Sowon's list on its site, I found this book: Enough Blood Shed. 

Korean title is not 'Enough Blood Shed' instead it reads '평화 만들기 101 (To Make Peace 101.)'

There are 101 solutions from comprehensive and abstract ones to very specific ones.
Solutions for individual, women, children&youth, schools, activists, religious organizations, conflict zones, special expertise, business, cities, nations the authors they are telling. And the another reason the book is useful is there are many activities of other peace organizations and links where we can get sources.

The book is encouraging people who want peace but are hesitating to act for it or don't know how they can act for peace. Authors try to suggest specific ways to support world peace.

Here are some quotes that encouraged me when I started <더 PEACE> in MANNAM and the city of Busan. 

(There is an example about a boy who changed through an assignment whose topics were 15 of the most serious issues the world is facing. Students were told to find the hopeful solutions.)......He said, "I have never thought about any of these issues before. I have only cared about hockey. Now that I know, I'll never be the same again, will I?"...I think he was affected so deeply because the issues were presented by his friends and peers, rather than by me (the instructor of the course). He saw them (peers) struggling with their despair and finding hope in the steps that are already underway. (Transforming Our Thinking 46p.)

Reading this part, I found that making changes is not that much huge or grand one and it can begin from ME. Also, I expected <더 PEACE> could be the place where one person can change his/her thought little by little through an another friend through discussion and sharing their thoughts. Now, it really works in <더 PEACE>!!!

Actually, <더 PEACE> talk concert is not like a difficult conference and there is no one who is a professional speaker or studies about peace. Some friends who have not participated yet and some readers who are reading our blog/facebook page think this talk concert is boring one or difficult one.

Among us, MANNAM, there are many people from all walks of life and we try to make the community without discrimination and misunderstanding. Just we come, and talk about peace and think about peace. Friends who joined event, actually told that it was fun and enjoyable and even they felt 2 hours is not enough!

The world is facing many problems which threaten humanity and it seems impossible to establish world peace in realistic world. However, why not? Why don't we transform our thinking? Like an above example and our example <더 PEACE>, our thinking is changed by the act and thought of one another around him or her. 

Many parts of the book <Enough Blood Shed> inspire me to think about how to act for peace.
Two things I keep in mind: 

• I am sure through this book that one activist is needed to start projects. If there was no one who started to walk for peace, we would just stay in our own life and couldn't make a step forward to world peace. One person, who thought volunteerism, Korean culture, and history began associating many organizations in Korea and it bore MANNAM Volunteer Association. In this point, I give respect to the Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim who started volunteer works through cultures and the Honorary Chairman, Man Hee Lee who helped her to set up many events remembering Korean histories.

• And secondly, I saw many examples and got many links of organizations or associations which are working for peaceful world and felt the need of networks. Some projects can be begun from one activist but if there is no network, although an activist wants to practice his or her thinking, all plans and projects will be failed. MIYC, whose purpose is to unite youth organizations around the world, is doing meaningful job and the effect / influence will become even bigger. 

The book is not only encouraging but also it gives some practical tips and real examples of peace campaigns and movements for peace. I think it will be very helpful to whom wants to set up some new projects for peace or culture exchange program domestically / internationally. 
Hope more and more people and organizations cooperate for the earth. 

Love and Hope for peace is contagious, then it can be spread from one to another. It can be come true by networks and movements among people. MANNAM Volunteer Association also wants to be one of those networks which deliver Love and Hope for PEACE! 

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.