Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, Gains Momentum in Activating Customized Specialized Lifelong Education

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has achieved the remarkable feat of being the only district in the region selected in the ‘Lifelong Learning City Regional Specialization Project’ category in the Ministry of Education’s ‘Regional Lifelong Education Activation Support Project’ competition.

Accordingly, it will promote the lifelong learning project ‘Global Citizen Development Project,’ reflecting the regional characteristics of Gwangsan-gu, where residents of various nationalities live together.

The ‘Regional Lifelong Education Activation Support Project’ aims to strengthen local governments’ educational management capabilities and revitalize the lifelong learning culture in local communities by developing and operating customized specialized lifelong education programs that reflect the unique characteristics of the region.

In this competition, Gwangsan-gu was selected in two categories: the ‘Consortium’ category, jointly applied for by Gwangju Metropolitan City, five autonomous districts of Gwangju, and the Gwangju Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Institute, and the lifelong learning city regional specialization project category.

Among these, the lifelong learning city regional specialization project selected six basic local governments nationwide, with Gwangsan-gu being the only selected local government in Gwangju.

Gwangsan-gu proposed the ‘Gwangsan-gu Global Citizen Development Project,’ based on the fact that it has the highest number of foreign residents in Gwangju and that most migrant women have settled for more than five years, forming a community infused with diverse global cultural characteristics.

The project aims to develop and enhance the talents and capabilities of migrant women and foreign residents and, based on this, create and support a lifelong learning foundation that enables them to advance into the local community.

Reflecting the results of a survey on the educational status of youth with migrant backgrounds conducted independently last year, Gwangsan-gu newly established and is promoting the ‘Global Home Cooking Instructor and Global Language Instructor Training Course.’

Last year, as part of the ‘Education Blind Spot Support Project,’ 23 migrant women were trained as global home cooking instructors. This year, Gwangsan-gu is building a close cooperative network with local public institutions, private organizations, multicultural facilities, and groups to discover the rich cultural resources possessed by migrant women and support them to have a positive impact on the local community.

The core of the project is to provide a balanced learning environment combining theory and practice so that migrant women can acquire skills and knowledge as instructors, and based on this, offer opportunities for practical training at the Gwangsan-gu Lifelong Learning Center, schools, libraries, and other venues.

In particular, to ensure that this education and activity lead to cultural communication and enhanced understanding with native residents, participants who complete the training are assigned and supported to act as multicultural communication activists (communicators).

On the 14th, Park Byung-gyu, Mayor of Gwangsan-gu, stated, “The Regional Lifelong Education Activation Support Project will be a signal fire to establish migrant women and foreign residents as the driving force of new vitality in Gwangsan.” He added, “We will do our best to create a lifelong learning environment that realizes the values of cultural diversity and coexistence.”