Kim Dong-yeon: "Let's Create a Happy World Where Young People Do What They Love"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] The 25 teams of the '2024 Gyeonggi Youth Communities' selected by Gyeonggi Province to support youth local activities and cultivate young activists will engage in various fields including cultural arts and local startups through November.

The Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation Youth Support Project Unit held its launch ceremony on the 13th at Dodamso, attended by Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon and approximately 80 young people selected as youth communities.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon stated, "I wish all our young people were happy, but our society, the older generation, institutions, and politics have not made that possible," and added, "If more opportunities, fairer opportunities, and better opportunities are provided, then youth, residents, and all citizens can be happy."

He continued, "I hope we can work together to create a world where our young people and residents pursue what they want to do in various fields. I hope our young people and residents are happy every day."

The Gyeonggi Youth Community project is one of the major youth initiatives under the 8th term provincial government, providing opportunities to strengthen capabilities necessary for youth's social advancement through diverse activity support and cultivating young activists.

Previously, the province conducted public recruitment in January targeting youth groups of five or more individuals aged 19 to 39 residing in the province, and selected 25 final teams through document review.

Through November, the teams will conduct various activities including △cultural arts activities to communicate and exchange with local residents △developing local content to enhance community vitality △supporting youth settlement in the region and fostering networks △providing healing and social participation support for multicultural families, single-person households, and marginalized groups △increasing youth influx to rural areas and raising awareness.

At the launch ceremony, the event began with a congratulatory performance by the Arimoriansemble, an active Gyeonggi Youth Community, followed by 31-second team showcases, mission performances, and block puzzle completions to encourage and strengthen cooperation among youth communities. During the 'A Word of Empathy' session, Governor Kim Dong-yeon and youth communities shared and empathized with youth concerns, communicating freely and openly.

Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Youth Support Project Unit plans to continue creating spaces for exchange and cooperation among youth communities starting with the launch ceremony, including operating promotional supporter teams from May onward. The unit will also provide tailored education and expert consulting to strengthen the capacity of youth communities. In November, the unit plans to hold an outcome-sharing event to showcase and disseminate the achievements of youth community activities.