Krithika Harish: Experiencing youth leadership in URI Korea

Dear friends,

I had only been in Korea for ten days, but it was been so jam-packed that it felt like I had been there much longer. My trip there was mainly to attend the annual URI Korea Youth Peace Camp, work with Korean as well as international participants on next steps after the camp, and visit Korean CCs to learn more about the interfaith work happening here. After learning so much about the region and building key relationships, I would call the trip a huge success.

The YLP international participants arrived a day before the start of the camp. URI Korea staff picked us up from the airport and Jinwol had dinner with us. It was the start of what would an incredible bonding experience for Samira (Bosnia), Prerna (India), Jorge (Venezuela), Joseph (Kenya) and I.

The camp was very dynamic. We stayed in two different cities, visited numerous cultural and religious sites, heard lectures on negotiation and peaceful coexistence, participated in YLP activities, and even spent a day at the DMZ (a demilitarized zone on the border of North Korea.) Here's a picture from our historical tour of the Korean peasant revolution:

Even with the language barrier between many of the Korean and international participants, an incredible amount of communication and relationship building was happening. This was best witnessed on the night before our farewell. Participants gave presentations in mixed groups about their experience at the camp and how it related to the theme of "Leadership for Life and Future." Here's a picture of my incredible group:

The camp ended Tuesday evening, and Jinwol and I left early morning the next day to visit a few of the Korean CCs, many of which have been around for more than a decade. URI Korea works in a unique way—key people in each URI Korean province are responsible for coordinating and overseeing the interfaith activities that happen in their community. Here's a picture of us visiting the hermitage where their weekly mediation and dialogue sessions take place:

We covered an amazing amount of ground in two days. First we went to Chungbuk University to meet the Dean of Religious Studies who heads frequent interfaith activities and dialogues in the campus and the community as part of the Cheongju/Chungbuk CC.

Next was a visit with the Jeonju/Jeonbuk Province CC leaders, Pastor Seewoo Li and his wife, who preside over a "green" church made with sustainable materials in the countryside. Their CC consists of an interfaith coalition actively working for farmers’ rights and the preservation of traditional Korea lifestyle. The incredibly inspiring duo:

The next morning we headed to the coastal Southern city of Busan where we met with the head priest, Mu Won, of the famous SamGwangsa Temple of the ChonTae order. He is one of the leaders of the Busan/Gyeongnam CC. He spoke to us about the interfaith activities hosted at the temple every year and their expansions in youth programming. Our last stop was Jinwol's Dongguk University in the beautiful, historical town of Gyeongju, where I was able to see the Religious Studies Department and meet with the staff. We then were able to tour some of the historical sites in the area.

I am incredibly grateful to Jinwol for his hospitality during a very busy time. He singlehandedly drove me around many of the Korean provinces and explained the local contexts to me. Each Regional Coordinator I have had the chance to visit has blown me away with their generosity, and Jinwol did the same in Korea.

Back in Seoul, we had an initial meeting with young Koreans excited to start a youth CC for URI Korea! It was productive and inspiring. Their ideas are strong and their voices are powerful. Some amazing leaders are emerging from this religiously diverse group. Looking forward to the new energy they will add to our network!