2024 'Hope Humanities' Completion Ceremony Held
Lectures on Humanities for Homeless and Low-Income Groups
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's "Humanities of Hope," reopened in 2022 after 10 years and now in its third year, will produce 827 graduates this year. "Humanities of Hope" is a flagship project of "Walking with the Vulnerable," aimed at restoring the self-esteem of homeless people and low-income citizens and encouraging their will for self-reliance.
On the 15th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will hold the "2024 Humanities of Hope" graduation ceremony at the Seoul City Hall Multipurpose Hall. This year, 989 participants joined, and 827 of them, accounting for 84%, successfully completed the course.
Started during Mayor Oh's tenure in 2008, "Humanities of Hope" is a program that helps socially vulnerable groups such as the homeless and low-income individuals regain self-esteem and the will to become self-reliant, enabling them to design a new life. From 2008 to 2012, it produced over 4,000 graduates, and after a 10-year hiatus, it was revived in 2022, with 303 graduates in 2022 and 696 in 2023.
This year's graduation ceremony is characterized by a variety of programs directly involving the graduates of Humanities of Hope. It begins with an opening address by a representative of the graduates, followed by awards such as the Seoul Mayor's Award and University President's Award given to outstanding graduates from each course. About 250 representatives of the graduates will attend the ceremony, along with Mayor Oh, Won Yong-geol, President of the University of Seoul, and Jang Kyung-nam, Professor at Soongsil University. Afterwards, a talk concert titled "To Myself, To Us" will be held with the graduates and Mayor Oh, where they will share their reasons for participating, impressions, and future aspirations.
Starting this year, the curriculum has been diversified to include not only humanities courses such as philosophy, literature, and history but also employment-related courses like caregiver, barista, and cook, as well as psychological counseling, music, calligraphy, and other fields related to psychology, health, culture, and arts. High-quality humanities lectures hosted by universities such as the University of Seoul and Soongsil University were also held. Even after the courses end, self-help groups are supported to maintain relationships among graduates, helping to heal their minds and encourage courage.
Currently, the Humanities of Hope program is divided into ▲Hope Course (facility-led), ▲Happiness Course (hosted by the University of Seoul and Soongsil University), and ▲University Special Lectures. The Hope Course consists of 64 programs centered on humanities such as philosophy, writing, literature, and history, as well as experiences, psychology and health, culture and arts, and employment. The Happiness Course involves homeless and low-income citizens attending lectures directly at the University of Seoul and Soongsil University. Students attend humanities lectures on university campuses, dine at student cafeterias, and participate in various field experiences such as visiting historical sites like palaces, cultural experiences, and sports activities.
Until the 18th, an exhibition of Humanities of Hope graduates will be held at "Space Sopora" near Deoksugung Palace. About 150 works will be displayed, including plaster sculptures, ceramics, woodworking crafts, writings, calligraphy, and paintings created during the process of self-reflection and restoring self-esteem.
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