Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education Leads Efforts to Promote the 5·18 Spirit Nationwide and Globally

The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 11th that it will actively promote the nationalization and globalization of the 5·18 Spirit.

First, to ensure substantial education on the May 18 Democratic Movement within the curriculum, educational materials utilizing both online and offline methods will be provided to schools nationwide. Along with this, various experience-centered activities where students take the lead will be encouraged to promote student participation.

Activities such as visiting 5·18 historical sites, cleaning tombstones, performances, and exhibitions will be actively promoted, and awards are planned for students who show outstanding participation.

In addition, online educational activities such as the Cyber 5·18 Memorial Hall will be offered alongside expanded and operated 5·18 cultural and artistic performances visiting schools. The ‘May Bookshelf’ program, which supports educational exhibition materials using school spaces in cooperation with the 5·18 Memorial Foundation, will also be operated by accepting applications from hopeful schools nationwide.

Furthermore, 500 teachers from across the country will be invited to form a 5·18 education study group, and nationwide teacher training sessions involving site visits will be conducted. The 5·18 Youth Field Experience Camp and the dispatch of the May Lecturers Group will also be actively promoted to help students nationwide properly understand the May 18 Democratic Movement.

Additionally, 6,000 approved books on 5·18 and 3,000 sets of 5·18 educational material packages will be distributed in the first phase. Experience-centered 5·18 educational materials developed in collaboration with the 5·18 Memorial Foundation will be distributed nationwide to support teachers in easily teaching the May 18 Democratic Movement in schools.

In the future, additional approved books and educational material packages will be distributed based on applications from teachers nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Office of Education will also actively promote the newly launched 5·18 publicity team ‘PureunSae’ this year. PureunSae will independently develop various content such as videos, performing arts, and English promotional materials and carry out diverse activities. Through exploration programs and international exchanges, it plans to promote not only nationalization but also the globalization of the 5·18 Spirit.

Superintendent Lee Jeong-seon stated, “The May 18 Democratic Movement represents universal values of global democratic citizenship,” and added, “This year’s 5·18 Democratic Movement education will inherit the 5·18 Spirit through experience-centered activities and promote proper historical education and globalization so that the Gwangju spirit of democracy, human rights, community, and peace may flourish.”