All Is Fair for Love and Democracy – The 2023 Youth Gwangju Democratic Forum
By Yousra Feriel Drioua
Is it something in the Gwangju air? Or, more accurately, is it the city’s historical record that is so inviting toward the political sphere? In a literal sense, last May, thirty international youths residing in Korea from different civic society spectrums were invited to join the second edition of the Youth Gwangju Democratic Forum (Y-GDF). To learn from and with one another and share their existing knowledge and experiences, but most importantly, to lose the conditioned distaste or even fear of politics many of us were conditioned to develop in our home countries. We were invited to train ourselves to become active citizens.
Now, pardon me, but unless you’ve been living under a rock while in Gwangju, you’ve heard of the May 18th democratic uprising. However, to remain fair to newer residents: Gwangju suffered from an illegal military occupation during the 1980s, and hundreds of civilians lost their lives in opposition. “The May 18 Democratic Movement was a historical event during which universal values of mankind – democracy, human rights, and peace – were realized,” as quoted from the May 18 Foundation’s website, host of Y-GDF. I advise you to give it a look if you’re looking to understand the details of this part of Korea’s history.
Y-GDF 2023 started on May 14, just a couple of days before the annual Gwangju Democracy Forum (GDF). The program kicked off with a spectacular interactive orientation by Prof. Lee Anselmo, who was also in charge of conducting most of the youth lectures. Perhaps I’m exaggerating, but I certainly left his sessions knowing how to, or at least, learned about the art of conducting an engaging class and building a sense of unity among students.
On the first day, we were instructed to perform a SWOT analysis in teams of five on our respective countries’ democratic status and proceed to present it to one another. This style of workshop continued throughout the rest of the program, with teams shifting and using more regional proximity narratives. In ways, as we built upon the initial workshop, these sessions forced us to learn about and refresh our perceptions of different regions’ politics without interest agendas. Excuse my French, but the youth originated from radically liberal states to bastions of conservatism, colonized, and colonizing (which surely made things interesting). Shortly after, our graduation ceremony from Y-GDF 2023 took place on the second day of the GDF!
While the Y-GDF program gave us a chance to think critically and actively re-imagine politics from a humanitarian point of view, it also provided us with a chance for our voices to be heard within each other. On the other hand, the official GDF program provided us with a realistic overview of experiences from civic society actors, introduced us to recurring policies used against some, and yet, planted a seed of courage within each of us – to fight, or alternatively, speak up on the injustices of the world. Quite subjectively, the sessions that left me in awe were The State of Disability Rights in Korea and the Challenges for Disability Rights Defenders by Phill Soon Kim, Challenges Toward Climate and Environmental Right Defenders in Cambodia by Ly Chandaravuth, and The State of Refugee Rights and the Challenges and Issues for Refugee Rights Advocates in Korea by Kyungjoo Park.
Since this was focused on human rights defenders, it might be deemed ridiculous to point out the obvious. Nevertheless, I was deeply moved, reflecting on the fact that each of the spokespeople did not necessarily need to speak up on those issues. As they are not entirely affected by the phenomena, directly related to it, or even belong to the groups they represent. But that is where the beauty of human rights defense is derived from. It is acknowledging the privileges one has but not forgetting his fellow brothers and sisters on the other side of the line.
It might be considered a cliché by now to use this line, but from my sentimental point of view, this is what humanity, activism, and advocacy are centered on. It is becoming a voice for the voiceless, putting oneself in other’s shoes, and having compassion and sympathy to not only feel for said others but to do something about it. I sincerely admire the Cambodian young man, as I have yet to find but am still looking within me for the bravery he possesses. He’s even been arbitrarily detained for standing up to a cause that doesn’t reap him any materialistic profit. He simply has a conviction that he stands for, yet his stance is the furthest from simple, and I respect that. Sure, I have values and beliefs about what a just and fair society should be like, but I cannot pretend that I am ready to go to the lengths he does. I don’t mind taking a bullet on the spot; it is the rest of the gruesome scenarios many human rights defenders endure in detention that weakens my position. In ways, this confession is perhaps the only form of bravery I can afford at the moment, which seems quite sinful coming from someone who still valiantly considers themself a human rights defender.
All in all, thanks to the Y-GDF, Gwangju’s uprising spirit was revived through the hearts of youth once again this May. While we may not all be ready to dive headfirst into an ocean of political reform within our nations, we’ve each at least managed to secure a lighthouse by the shores to guide us through whenever we are ready for that fight. Until then, we shall continue to forecast all imaginable scenarios of battles ahead and how to overcome them, and continue to advocate for justice with our respective armors – even if not in action, purely in mind and heart… or in my case, on paper.
The Author
Yousra Feriel Drioua is a young Algerian living in South Korea and majoring in mass communication and journalism. As she figures out her calling in life, she’s mostly interested in writing, broadcasting, and learning. She enjoys intriguing conversations, adventures, interacting with people, and being an active community member. Oh, and she’s an avid member of BTS Army! Instagram: myyigli