Student Workshop Advocates Cross-Cultural Coexistence

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Student Workshop Advocates Cross-Cultural Coexistence

South Korean, Turkish, and Indonesian youth commissions attended the “Coexistence and Overcoming Prejudices” workshop hosted by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF) Women’s Platform on July 23, 2011, at Maltepe Coskun Private High School in Istanbul.

I think the best way to get over our prejudices is to share each other’s lives.

Kim Min Ju, student from South Korea

Around fifty students from three countries participated in the workshop, which was moderated by journalist Hrant Topakian. The JWF Women’s Platform, Istanbul Culture Center, Maltepe Coskun Private High School, the Foundation of Social and Economic Cooperation with Pacific Countries (PASIAD), and the South Korean Women’s and Family Ministry jointly organized the workshop in which South Korean, Indonesian, and Turkish students had a chance to get to know each other better.

Students from each country made presentations about prejudices, perspectives on other cultures, common experiences when visiting foreign countries, and cultural differences in their home countries. At the end of the program, South Korean students performed a traditional dance show.

Reflecting on the workshop, Kim Min Ju from South Korea said, “I think the best way to get over our prejudices is to share each other’s lives.”

Putri Sarah from Indonesia said, “This has been an unforgettable experience for me. I’m grateful for having participated in this organization. Korean people are very kind and respectful. Being prejudiced causes people to see differences negatively.”

Sudenur Turan from Turkey said that she gained a lot from her experience because the meeting and discussion let her see other cultures better. “It was a wonderful opportunity to have met such nice friends,” she said. “I got to learn new things about cultures that I didn’t really know much about.”

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