LG Electronics Hosts Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities in the Philippines... "Practicing ESG"

March 3-8 Event... 16 Countries' Disabled Youth Compete
"ESG Vision: Practicing 'Better Life for All'"

LG Electronics held the Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC) finals in Manila, Philippines, laying the foundation for the growth of future talent. This was an implementation of activities related to 'Diversity and Inclusion,' one of the six strategic tasks under LG Electronics' Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) vision, "Better Life for All."

Mr. Thien Hou Nguyen, a person with physical disabilities from Vietnam, is participating with his team in the 'eCreative_Smart Car' category at the finals of the '2024 Global Youth IT Challenge for People with Disabilities,' held by LG Electronics from the 3rd to the 8th (local time) in Manila, Philippines. Provided by LG Electronics

On the 8th, LG Electronics announced that it successfully concluded the '2024 GITC' finals held in Manila, Philippines, from the 3rd to that day (local time). GITC is hosted by LG, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Philippine government, LG Electronics and the GITC Organizing Committee, and the Philippine National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). Since the first competition in 2011, over 5,000 youth with disabilities from 40 countries have participated over 13 years. The participating countries have expanded from Korea and China to the Middle East and North Africa regions. The competition is held to enhance the information utilization skills of youth with disabilities and to establish a foundation for their social advancement.

This year’s finals featured 104 youth with disabilities from 16 countries, selected through national preliminaries held in July, competing in six categories. This year, the ability to utilize generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology was added as a new evaluation criterion. The overall championship was won by Nur Julzahira Binti Mohamad Anwar from the Malaysia team.

GITC helps youth with disabilities worldwide to enter society stably. Aikio Kumanibong, a visually impaired participant in GITC in 2014, currently works as the head of the Laos Disability Service Center, where he has developed and distributed free Braille software.

LG Electronics selected diversity and inclusion as one of the six strategic tasks under its ESG management vision, Better Life for All. The company is engaged in activities to improve accessibility of services and products, such as the LG Comfort Kit, sign language counseling center, Best Companion Care Service, and Braille stickers.

Yoon Dae-sik, Executive Vice President of External Cooperation at LG Electronics, said, "So far, GITC has served as a stepping stone to help over 5,000 youth overcome barriers of disability and grow into competitive IT talents. We will continue to support them in various ways so that they can rise as future IT leaders despite their disabilities."