The ‘DMZ OPEN Eco Peace Forum,’ held from the 4th to the 6th at Gimpo Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Gyeonggi and KINTEX in Goyang, has come to a close.
The 'DMZ OPEN Eco-Peace Forum' was held from the 4th to the 6th at the Peace Ecology Park in Aegibong, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, and at KINTEX in Goyang. Provided by Gyeonggi Province
Now in its second year, this forum, themed ‘DMZ Ecology, Peace, and Nexus for Greater Peace,’ expanded the value of the DMZ into various fields such as tourism, economy, and culture, and discussed ways for peace and ecology to coexist.
At the opening ceremony on the 4th, Choi Jae-cheon, Chairperson of the DMZ OPEN Festival Organizing Committee (ecologist and Ewha Womans University distinguished professor), highlighted the international significance of the DMZ by stating, “Gyeonggi Province’s ‘Greater Peace’ encompasses not only political peace but also peace between nature and humans.” He emphasized efforts toward peace realization involving ecology, peace, and tourism experts, drawing strong responses.
Following this, 18 diverse sessions composed of peace, ecology, and nexus themes were conducted.
In the ecology sessions, starting with a presentation by Professor Oh Dong-seok of Ajou University on ‘Sustainability and Legalization Tasks of the DMZ from the Perspective of Inter-Korean Relations and Local Residents,’ the forum opened a new perspective on DMZ discussions, including discussions on global commons by Professor Yoon Yeo-il of Gyeongsang National University.
Additionally, the ‘Visioning Workshop,’ where various groups gathered to share future visions, was led by Kim Hye-jin, scenario developer at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. World-renowned experts such as Professor Laura Pereira from Utrecht University, Professor Gabriela Schaepman Strub from the University of Zurich, Dirk Karger from the Swiss Federal Research Institute, and Professor Justin Johnson from the University of Minnesota, along with 36 general applicants, engaged in passionate discussions on the ecological value and future vision of the DMZ.
In the peace sessions, four sessions were held with presentations by global scholars including Professor August Pradetto of Helmut Schmidt University, Professor Jude Lal Fernando of Trinity College Dublin, Professor Tony Binns of the University of Otago, New Zealand, and Professor Lee Sung-yong of Soka University, Japan. Topics included ‘Key Issues in Everyday Peace Theory and Its Applicability to Peace on the Korean Peninsula’ and ‘Ecological Peace Beyond Humans: From Security and Justice to Peace.’
Moreover, discussions expanded the concept of peace beyond a state free from war and conflict to include multilateral peace, ecological peace, everyday peace, and further to peace between humans and nature.
Notably, in the peace roundtable session held on the 6th, Jeon Hae-cheol, Chairperson of the Gyeonggi Province Policy Advisory Committee, served as moderator and engaged in discussions with former Ministers of Unification Lee Jong-seok, Lee In-young, and Kim Yeon-chul on the theme ‘Presenting a Vision for Peace Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula,’ sharing opinions on the strategic importance of Gyeonggi Province.
The nexus sessions featured experts from various fields, including Ayu Chuepa, CEO of Akaama Coffee in Thailand, and Florian Riem, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Music Competitions, further expanding the DMZ’s value into northern Gyeonggi, tourism, economy, and culture.
Cho Chang-beom, Director of the Peace Cooperation Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated, “Going forward, the Eco Peace Forum will concretize the vision of ‘Greater Peace’ and continuously seek peace models unique to Gyeonggi Province and practical measures for realizing the values of ecology and peace for the future of the Korean Peninsula.”
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