African Ghana Students Visiting Korea... Educational Exchange with Seocho-gu Elementary and Middle Schools

On the 27th of last month, Ama Serwa and Nerquiae Tete, Secretary-General of the UNESCO Ghana Committee, visited Seocho District Office along with Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho District. Provided by Seocho District Office.

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The future generations of Africa and Korea meet in Seocho-gu through ‘education’ as a medium. Ghanaian middle school students directly participate in classes at middle schools in Seocho-gu, learn musical instruments together with Korean students, and engage in a cultural exchange that fosters mutual understanding of cultural diversity.

Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced on the 15th that it will host an educational exchange program inviting students from Ghana, Africa, to Seocho-gu for 5 nights and 8 days from the 14th to the 21st of this month. The Ghanaian student delegation participating in this exchange program consists of 10 middle school students recommended by the UNESCO Ghana Committee and 3 chaperones.

During the program, the Ghanaian student delegation will visit Dongduk Girls’ Middle School and Seoul National University of Education Affiliated Elementary School, both members of the ‘UNESCO Schools’ network of over 12,000 schools worldwide. At Dongduk Girls’ Middle School, they will experience Korean culture and food, and at the Seoul National University of Education Affiliated Elementary School, which leads the ‘One School One Orchestra’ project, they will participate in one-on-one musical instrument lessons.

Additionally, at Sinbanpo Middle School, a ‘Seocho-gu Public Education Experience’ is prepared where they attend actual classes such as English and physical education together, and they will also have a cultural experience by visiting the homes of Sinbanpo Middle School students matched one-to-one to experience Korean family life firsthand.

In the latter part of the schedule, the Ghanaian student delegation will hold a ‘Harmony Event’ where they communicate with friends they met during their visit through classical music. The event, held on the 19th at the Simsang Cultural Center, will begin with a performance by the Hanbit Orchestra of the Seoul National University of Education Affiliated Elementary School, a leading school of the Sound of Seocho Orchestra (SSO). Students from Dongduk Girls’ Middle School and Sinbanpo Middle School will also attend, adding significance to the event by uniting through music.

Moreover, time has been arranged to explore major local facilities and companies such as the Bangbae Forest Environmental Library, Seocho and Bangbae Youth Centers, Suripul Forest Imagination School, the Supreme Court, the National Gugak Center, Hyundai Motorstudio, and the Agricultural Technology Center, all operated or located within the district. A ‘Landmark Tour’ will also be conducted, visiting Seoul’s landmarks such as Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Namsan to learn about Korea’s traditional culture and its present-day appearance.

The students selected for the Ghanaian student delegation expressed their expectations, saying, “We applied for the program because we want to learn about Korea’s education system and advanced technology and share it with Ghana,” and “We look forward to participating in various activities with Seocho-gu students.”

Meanwhile, in April, the district signed a tripartite agreement for educational exchange between the UNESCO Korea Committee and the UNESCO Ghana Committee. Centering on understanding and respect for diversity, which UNESCO pursues as a core value, the two countries agreed to work together to help their students grow into global citizens with international perspectives and capabilities.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “I hope this educational exchange becomes a meaningful journey for the Ghanaian student delegation and serves as an opportunity for students from both countries to grow into global talents,” adding, “We will continue to engage in exchanges with African countries in the future, starting with this program.”

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