KIM Dong-choon [Professor Emeritus, College of Social Science, Sungkonghoe University]
The theme of this year's World Human Rights Cities Forum is "Civic Space and Human Rights Cities." This agenda seems to arise from concerns that the space in which citizens can survive and engage is increasingly shrinking and closing off. In order for humans to live, it is essential to secure at least a minimum income, the basis for the reproduction of life, and adequate housing. Additionally, as political and cultural beings, humans require spaces for activities and participation to sustain their intellectual lives. We cannot overlook this issue, particularly in the context of the establishment and distortion of modern nation-states, globalization and the spread of neoliberal economic orders around the world, and the reduction of natural spaces where humans and living creatures can coexist amid the climate crisis.
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The greatest disease of modern society is loneliness. Rural areas are filled with isolated elderly individuals, and urban areas have a surplus of lonely young people. In Korea, it is said that nearly 500,000 young people are confined to their rooms, hardly meeting anyone. Loneliness can destroy a person's mental well-being and severely undermine self-esteem. In Korean cities, the proportion of single-person households has exceeded 35%. Providing opportunities for lonely individuals to open their doors, meet diverse people, and supporting them in forming social networks is one of today's most important human rights agendas. This is because human rights are not just about claiming rights but about restoring humanity. Forming social networks enables participation in society and can revitalize civic engagement. Therefore, 21st-century urban policies should particularly put focus on these aspects.
Civic Space and Human Rights Cities
KIM Dong-choon [Professor Emeritus, College of Social Science, Sungkonghoe University]
The theme of this year's World Human Rights Cities Forum is "Civic Space and Human Rights Cities." This agenda seems to arise from concerns that the space in which citizens can survive and engage is increasingly shrinking and closing off. In order for humans to live, it is essential to secure at least a minimum income, the basis for the reproduction of life, and adequate housing. Additionally, as political and cultural beings, humans require spaces for activities and participation to sustain their intellectual lives. We cannot overlook this issue, particularly in the context of the establishment and distortion of modern nation-states, globalization and the spread of neoliberal economic orders around the world, and the reduction of natural spaces where humans and living creatures can coexist amid the climate crisis.
.
.
.
The greatest disease of modern society is loneliness. Rural areas are filled with isolated elderly individuals, and urban areas have a surplus of lonely young people. In Korea, it is said that nearly 500,000 young people are confined to their rooms, hardly meeting anyone. Loneliness can destroy a person's mental well-being and severely undermine self-esteem. In Korean cities, the proportion of single-person households has exceeded 35%. Providing opportunities for lonely individuals to open their doors, meet diverse people, and supporting them in forming social networks is one of today's most important human rights agendas. This is because human rights are not just about claiming rights but about restoring humanity. Forming social networks enables participation in society and can revitalize civic engagement. Therefore, 21st-century urban policies should particularly put focus on these aspects.