MAY 16 (FRI)

Sessions marked with * are only available to invited participants and officials.

All times are in Korea Standard Time (UTC+9).


Human Rights Paper Session

Peace and Solidarity:
the Role of Human Rights Cities in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding 


MODERATOR
SPEAKERS



Jorge Luis González González  Fellow, Talento Total
Crystal Mokoena Senior Lecturer, University of Venda
Dipesh Kumar Ghimire Assistant Professor, Tribhuvan University
Nargis Sadiq Country Manager, Omid International
Ademola Oluborode Jegede Professor of Law & Director, Ismail Mahomed Centre for Human and Peoples' Rights, University of Venda
David Klepej PhD Candidate, University of Ljubljana
Valentina Ostojić Research Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Development
Aulia Rachmah Putri Partnership Support Officer, Australia-Indonesia Partnership Towards and Inclusive Society (INKLUSI)
Ishrat Sultana Assistant Professor, North South University
Alyaa Nabiilah Zuhroh Manager, Inisiatid Suara Nusantara
ORGANIZERS
Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law,
International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels under the auspices of UNESCO, University of Graz UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Human Security, Chonnam National University May 18 institute, Gwangju International Center

Human Rights Activists Workshop

Human Rights City’s Human Rights Protection System Proposed by Activists


MODERATOR
PARK Youngcheol Representative, Ulsan Solidarity for Human Rights
SPEAKERS
MOON Jeongho Branch Chair, National Human Rights Commission Branch, Headquarters of Central Administrative Agencies, Korean Government Employees' Union
LEE Jeong-eun Professor, Department of Sociology, Changwon National University 
PRESENTERS
CHAE Min Permanent Activist, Jeonbuk Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights
LEE Haengchan Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Chungnam Human Rights Education Activity Group Bu-ttel
ORGANIZERS
Human Rights Activists Network for Local Human Rights Protection System in South Korea: Jeju Peace Human Rights Institute WHAT, Jeonbuk Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights, Ulsan Solidarity for Human Rights, Buttle-Chungnam Human Rights Education Activists Group, Protesting Against Poverty & Discrimination Solidarity for Human Right, Gwangju Human Rights Center Hwal JJak, Tree of Conscience and Human Rights

Children and Youth


ORGANIZERS
Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, Gwangju National University of Education - Industrial Academia Collaboration Foundation

Disability

Eugenics and Forced Sterilization:
State Violence Denying the Existence of Persons with Disabilities 

What does peace mean to persons with disabilities? What is a peaceful life for persons with disabilities? Peace is not simply the absence of armed conflict represented by war. Peace is the state free from all forms of violence directed toward specific groups or individuals. However, victims of state policies based on eugenics and persons with disabilities continue to live among us today. This session will be examining Japan’s response to state-imposed forced sterilization focusing on activities addressing victims of the Eugenic Protection Law. Also, identifying the reality and future tasks in South Korea centered on the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).


MODERATOR
SO Hyunsoog Academic Investigation and Research Team Manager, Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea
SPEAKERS
Keiko Toshimitsu Visiting Researcher, Institute of Ars Vivendi, Ritsumeikan University
HWANG Jisung Research Fellow, Asian Center for Women's Studies, Ewha Womans University
DISCUSSANTS
HYU Jina Secretary General, Women with Disabilities Empathy
NA Young Representative, center for Sexual rigHts And Reproductive justicE (SHARE)
ORGANIZER
Gwangju Human Right Center for People with Disabilities, 
Gwangju Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination

Korean Local Government Human Rights Commission*


ORGANIZER
Gwangju Metropolitan City

A Conversation with Cha Inpyo


ORGANIZER
Gwangju International Center

Migration

Human Rights Cities and Public Health for Migrants


MODERATOR
SPEAKERS



OH Kyeongseok Director, Gyeonggi Institute of Research and Policy Development for Migrants' Human Rights
KIM Youngah Executive Director, Migration to Asia Peace (MAP)
KANG Young-shin Full Professor, Department of Psychology, Chonnam National University  
SHIN Ye-ji Graduate of the Integrated Master's and Doctoral Program, Department of Psychology, Chonnam National University
DISCUSSANTS
SONG Jiyoung Research Professor, Center for Global Diaspora Studies, Chonnam National University
KIM Minsu Managing Director, Gwangju International Residents Center
PARK Ju-young Asisstant Professor, Department of Psychology, Gwangju University 
ORGANIZERS
Center for Global Diaspora Studies, Chonnam National University,
BK21 FOUR Center for International Migration and Diaspora Innovative Talents, Chonnam National University,
Gwangju Workers Health Center, Gwangju Migrant Health Center,
Gwangju International Residents Center

Village and Human Rights

Human Rights Villages, Human Rights Minds


MODERATOR
CHAE Eunji Vice Chairperson II, Gwangju Metropolitan Council
KEYNOTE SPEECH
PARK Jongpyoung Representative, Pungdurae
SPEAKERS
AHN Seuk Executive Director, Gwangju Village Education Community Forum
LIM Leejeong Coordinator of Women-Friendly City Coaching Support, Gwangju Foundation for Women & Family
PARK Mija Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Gwangju University Gwangju Village Community Network
ORGANIZERS
Gwangju Urban Regeneration Community Center (GURCC),
Human Rights Village Network, Gwangju Village Community Network,
Gwangju Village Education Community Forum, 
Gwangju Women-friendly Village Activists Network

Gwangju-Chonnam Council of University Human Rights Centers*


ORGANIZER
Chonnam National University Human Rights Center

Women

The May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Women 2025

During the May 18 Democratization Movement of 1980, women in Gwangju engaged in diverse activities such as meal preparation, citizen outreach, blood donation, and body recovery. However, their contributions have been relatively undervalued compared to those of men. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Movement, further intensifying the urgent need to systematize the historical records of the women of May and to revitalize research aimed at truth-seeking and clarifying historical facts. This session will conduct an in depth examination of the history of the women of May, including related human rights issues, and by doing so, identify and raise important issues within historical movements from a gender equality perspective.


MODERATOR
KIM Gyoungrae Chief Executive Officer, Gwangju Foundation for Women & Family
SPEAKERS
JEONG Kyungwoon Professor, Graduate school of Culture, Chonnam National University
The Significance and Achievements of Publishing The May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Women 2025
LEE Chunhee Co-representative, Gwangju Democratization Movement Comrade Party
Restoration and Reconstruction of the Gwangju Women's History
Farhana Binte Jigar Farina Organizer in the central committee, Bangladesh Democratic Student Council
DISCUSSANS
JUN Yongho Member, Writers Association of Korea
HA Juhee Managing Partner, Law Firm YULIP
ORGANIZER
Gwangju Foundation for Women & Family

UNESCO APCAD

Peacebuilding and Inclusion in the Asia-Pacific Cities


PRESENTER
Dorian Rommens Programme Specialist, UNESCO
ORGANIZERS
Gwangju Metropolitan City,
UNESCO Asia-Pacific Coalition of Cities Against Discrimination (UNESCO APCAD),
United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)

Korean Local Government Ombudsmen Commission Workshop*


ORGANIZER
Gwangju Metropolitan City

WHRCF SECRETARIAT
1-2F, 5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea
Tel: +82-62-226-2734 │ Fax: +82-2-226-2731 │ E-mail: whrcf@gic.or.kr
Copyright WHRCF All rights reserved.

WHRCF SECRETARIAT
1-2F, 5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea
Tel: +82-62-226-2734
Fax: +82-62-226-2731
E-mail: whrcf@gic.or.kr
Copyright WHRCF All rights reserved.