To Be Implemented in Six Regions Nationwide, Including Suwon, Gyeonggi Province
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on August 1 that, together with the Arts Council Korea, the 'Humanities Happiness Center (Jigwanjiseo)' will launch the '2025 Youth Humanities Class' project in six regions nationwide. The Youth Humanities Class begins on this day in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, and will subsequently be held in Suwon and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, Andong and Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province, and Ulsan Metropolitan City.
The Youth Humanities Class is a project designed to offer local youths, who are exhausted by conflict and competition, opportunities for self-reflection, healing, building relationships, and seeking the true direction of life through humanities experiences. Various humanities programs for local youths are operated at the Humanities Happiness Centers, which are humanities spaces jointly created by local governments and the private sector.
In planning this project, the Ministry and the Arts Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the Arts Council, local governments, the Jigwan Foundation, and the local humanities space 'Jigwanseoga', designating it as a 'Humanities Happiness Center'. Jigwanseoga is a humanities space created with idle spaces provided by local governments, planned by the private public-interest Jigwan Foundation, and funded by SK. It is currently operated in six regions nationwide (Suwon, Andong, Yeoju, Ulsan, Uljin, Pyeongtaek).
The Ministry also stated that, in order to enable participation by youths in various situations?including isolated and reclusive youths in the region, young caregivers, as well as young teachers, nurses, firefighters, and soldiers who are in essential professions in society?they prepared the project in collaboration with local youth policy-related organizations such as the Youth Foundation and the Youth Future Center.
The Youth Humanities Class is scheduled to continue until November. In August and September, the following programs will be offered: ▲A self-reflection and healing program using books for youths concerned about isolation (Ulsan); ▲A humanities psychology program for youths struggling with inferiority and comparison to others (Suwon); ▲Family humanities activities for young caregivers (Pyeongtaek). ▲A humanities program for self-reflection and gaining comfort and recovery (Yeoju); ▲A dialogue program to experience hospitality and solidarity in a third space (Uljin) will also be available.
In October and November, the following programs will be prepared to suit the characteristics of various youth groups: ▲A retreat for isolated youths in cooperation with the Youth Future Center (Ulsan); ▲A burnout prevention and recovery program for young teachers (Suwon); ▲A loneliness recovery program for military personnel and civilian employees (Pyeongtaek); ▲Programs for trauma recovery and healing for firefighters (Andong) and maritime police officers (Uljin).
Details on the full Youth Humanities Class program, specific schedules, and application methods can be found on the 'Inmun360' and Jigwanseoga websites.
Lee Jeongmi, Director of Cultural Policy at the Ministry, stated, "I hope that the youths participating in the Youth Humanities Class will gain the strength to live the lives they truly desire through diverse humanities experiences and have the opportunity to restore social connections and a sense of community," and added, "The Ministry plans to enhance public access to humanities and expand life-cycle humanities projects in order to realize the new government's pledge to 'promote humanities education for all citizens throughout their lives.'"
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