Virtual International Training Course on “SAEMAUL UNDONG for Community Development” 26th-31st December 2022
SEAMEO TED and Yeungnam University (South Korea) co-organized the Virtual International Training Course on “SAEMAUL UNDONG for Community Development” started from 26th to 31st December 2022, accommodated by 101 participants- Cambodia (74), India (1), Indonesia (12), Malaysia (1), the Philippines (9), and Vietnam (2), who are educational institution representatives, school management and teachers. The ultimate objective are (1) to share Korea’s Saemaul Undong experience with relevant participants, in particular, with SEAMEO country members so that they may find the applicability and implications of Saemaul Undong for community and national development and (2) to benchmark best practices of Saemaul Undong program for individual country application. Following the agenda, there are a lot of interesting and informative topics such as principles and implications of Saemaul Undong, Korea’s economic development experience, Saemaul Undong and village credit, Saemaul Undong and the leadership, etc. for participant learning.
The Opening Ceremony was conducted on 26th December 2022 at 9:00-10:30 AM (Bangkok Time). All 101 participants were invited to join the event via Zoom platform. The ceremony was presided over by the Prof. Dr. KIM Kisu, General Director of Institute for International Development Cooperation (IIDC), Yeungnam University with his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Choi Oo Chool, the President of Yeungnam University with his welcome remarks, and Dr. Songheang Ai, Centre Director of SEAMEO TED with his impressive remarks.
During the six-day period, the participants actively attentively joined seven pre-recorded lectures, seven live discussions, four virtual field visits, and action plan presentations. Prof. Dr. KIM Kisu led the discussion sessions in which he precisely raised his comments and inputs to questions posed by participants under an active coordination from staff of SEAMEO TED and Yeungnam University. Six representatives from six groups of participants presented their action plans to reflect on what they have learnt and to express their commitments and willingness in putting SAEMAUL UNDONG’s concepts and experiences in developing their own community.
Wrap-up and Closing Ceremony were conducted with the closing remarks by Dr. KIM Kisu. In his closing remarks, Dr. KIM believed that Cambodia and other countries in the region will develop sustainably by using SAEMAUL UDONG experience; and he also thanked and admired all participants for their strong commitments to join the online training course successfully. Moreover, there was the impressive remarks addressed by a participant representative Miss. Orn Iengmay, teacher from Kampong Chheuteal Demonstration General and Technical High School of Cambodia. She emphasized the significance of SAEMAUL UDONG training course getting fruitful knowledge and useful experiences for community development. She is committed to apply knowledge and experiences learnt to her community adapting to different settings and contexts. The course is so relevant as most of ASEAN countries are labor intensive heavily relying on agriculture sector for economic development.
