2025 World Youth Meditation Program Concludes at Woljeongsa Temple in Pyeongchang... A Time for Mindfulness

The "2025 2nd World Youth Meditation Experience Program - Day 1 of Meditation Starting Today," which brought together domestic high school students and young practitioners from 25 countries, successfully concluded at Woljeongsa Temple in Odaesan, Pyeongchang, from July 14 to 16.

This special meditation experience event was co-hosted by Woljeongsa, the head temple of the 4th District of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and the Cultural Preservation Practice Association, with the cooperation of the US-based non-profit organization Woodenfish Foundation. Notably, as part of the "2025 Woljeongsa-Woodenfish Global Meditation Practice Program" being held at Woljeongsa throughout July, domestic high school students directly joined the practice community for three days and two nights, experiencing both meditation and cultural exchange.

Participants engaged in a variety of programs, including an orientation, forest path walking meditation in Odaesan, a traditional Buddhist meal (balwoo gongyang) workshop, a visit to the Silok Museum, and an English speech contest, providing opportunities for self-reflection and experiencing the meaning of communal practice. In particular, the forest meditation and the temple tour were highly praised as valuable opportunities to calm the mind in nature.

Living together with Woodenfish practitioners went beyond a simple experience, serving as a venue for cultural understanding and spiritual exchange among international youth. Participating high school students shared their impressions, saying, "We learned that meditation is not just about sitting quietly, but a way of life that involves respecting and connecting with one another."

Through this program, Woljeongsa and Woodenfish aim to present a meditation-based youth leadership education model. In an era where digital transformation and uncertainty have become part of everyday life, the mental health and emotional resilience of the younger generation have emerged as important issues.

Venerable Woleom of the Woljeongsa Youth Association stated, "Meditation is a practice for coexistence and peace," adding, "I hope that young people will find direction in life through inner tranquility and experience connection with the world."