Call for Application – The Gwangju Youth Democracy Forum 2023 ( ~ March 2nd)

The May 18 Foundation invites you to apply to participate The Gwangju Youth

Democracy Forum 2023(Y-GDF) during the Gwangju Democracy Week on May 14 to

15 (Sunday to Monday), 2023 prior to Gwangju Democracy Forum 2023 in Gwangju,

South Korea. The various program (lecture, discussion, study tour, and etc) will be

composed and after the Y-GDF, you will attend the GDF 2023 from May 16 to 19

(Tuesday to Friday) 2023. The GDF will take place for 4 days during the Gwangju

Democracy Week under the theme “Human Rights Defenders for Democracy

Solidarity” You can find the concept note (draft) of the GDF 2023 below. The

deadline for the submission is March 2nd (Thursday), 2023.

- Application Link: https://forms.gle/3uGfLHLoUCYhLakq9

- Duration: Feb. 17(Fri.) to March 2st (Thur.), 2022

* Contact and Enquiries

- Yoojung Hong: hyj0118@518.org Tel) +82-62-360-0522

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The GDF 2023 Concept Note (Tentative)

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2023 Gwangju Democracy Forum (GDF) Hybrid, May 14 to 19 (Sunday to Friday), 2023

Concept Note

1. The Gwangju Democracy Forum (GDF) 2023 is an annual international meeting

locally hosted by the May 18 Foundation to bring together democracy advocates,

human rights defenders and activists, researchers, and policy-makers to discuss

and reflect on the state and challenges of democracy at the local, national, and

global levels as a way to commemorate the spirit of May 18 Gwangju Democratic

Uprising in 1980 in today’s global context.

2. The GDF is to be organized throughout the week of May 18 in a hybrid

manner, online sessions from 14 to 16 May and in person sessions in Gwangju on

14 and 19 May 2023. The in person sessions are composed of Youth-GDF (14-15

May), GDF Main Session (16 May), Global Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Day, and

public May 18 commemoration ceremony and Gwangju Human Rights Award

Ceremony (18 May)

Structure of the Program during the May 18 Week

* UDPMA: Universal Day of Prevention for Militarism and Authoritarianism

** GPHR: Gwangju Prize for Human Rights

3. The main objectives of the GDF 2023 are i) to assess the emerging threats and

challenges to democracy and human rights movement nationally and

internationally, ii) to develop common agenda for join action based on shared

understanding and analysis, and iii) to contribute to stronger international

networking and coalition-building among democracy advocates and human rights

defenders.

4. The co-organizing partners are expected to organize online sessions (14-16

May) and bring their own participants and speakers for in person sessions (16-17

and/or 19 May) with their own funding . The May 18 Foundation may cover the

expenses such as accommodation and meals during the GDF (16-18 May). Some of

the co-organizing partners are invited to jointly organize Youth GDF (14-15 May).

5. Under the general theme “Human Rights Defenders for Democracy Solidarity”

(tentative), various topics are to be addressed online and offline under the

following thematic cluster during the Y-GDF and GDF in the context of the 30th

anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna (1993) and 75th

anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (1948). Thematic

background documents about 6 thematic clusters will be prepared and shared with

co-organizing partners and participants in due course.

A. State Violence, Impunity, and Transitional Justice

B. SDG 16 and Democracy – Peace, Justice (Judicial System), and Democracy

C. Challenges and Opportunities for Human Rights Defenders - UN, National

Human Rights Commission(NHRC), and Human Rights Activists

6. The Youth-GDF (14-15 May) is a youth-led and youth-oriented meeting by

leaders of youth organizations, youth leaders, and members of the CSOs that are

interested to join the GDF as co-organizing partners. Youths, including overseas

university students residing in Korea (aged below 35) will also be invited to join.

7. Global Human Rights Defenders Day (17 May) is to address main challenges,

threats and opportunities for human rights defenders as a way to commemorate

the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998).

Strategic engagements with UN human rights mechanisms including the UN Special

Rapporteurs on HRD, transitional justice, climate change, etc. will be addressed to

protect and strengthen the role of HRDs. It is expected to be organized in

partnership with relevant international organizations and public institutions such as

UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), National Human

Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), and Korea Association of Human Rights

Studies (KAHRS).

8. During the Global HRD Day (17 May), the commemoration ceremony of the

Universal Day against the Prevention of Militarism and Authoritarianism (UDPMA)

will be conducted for the first time to remember the HRDs who are victims of

human rights violations by the various types of perpetrators.

9. The Public events (17-18 May) are composed of the Citizens’ Rally on the eve

of May 18, the official ceremony of the 43rd Anniversary of the May 18

Democratization Movement at the National Cemetery in Mangwoldong, and Gwangju

Prize for Human Rights Award giving ceremony.

10. The May 19 (Friday) is devoted to optional strategy meeting to discuss how to

implement the action plans discussed at the GDF among co-organizing partners

and internal organizational meetings as back-to-back by co-organizing partners.

11. The outcome of the GDF 2023 will be used as input to develop the 2030

Gwangju Agenda for Democracy (GAD) which is the guide for action to prepare for

the 50th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 2030.

Contact and Enquiries:

￿ Yoojung Hong Hyj0118@518.org International Affairs Department, May 18

Foundation

￿ Anselmo Lee, Alee7080@gmail.com Board Member of the May 18

Foundation / APSD Coordinator