The Global Family Festival is a joyous celebration of the diversity and beauty of our human family brought together in service and the ideal of the family. On Saturday, February 25, 2023, the 11th Global Family Festival was held at the Peace Center in Seoul was co-hosted by Service for Peace Korea (SFP) and Global Peace Woman (GPW). Chairwoman of Global Peace Women, Dr. Junsoook Moon joined in the activities of the day.
The Global Family Festival has been hosted as a place for local Korean and multicultural families to serve together. Countries like the Philippines, Mongolia, Japan, and Vietnam were represented in the diverse showing. Over 120 from various local non-profits including 10 Million Divided Families Committee, Family Peace Association, and 통일사랑모임, 행복터, 글로벌한부모센터 to partkae in various service activities.
Volunteers worked hard through the day to make hand-made cookies to deliver to families of North Korean defectors, divided families, and multicultural families. A bazaar raised funds for Service for Peace Korea, who hosts various service-learning programs as well as projects that support North Korean defectors and a local women’s shelter. Hyejoo Kim (50s), a member of GPW, hand crafted key rings and coasters from recycled socks for the bazaar. She said, “I was so happy to see people purchasing them.”
Photo exhibitions of multicultural families and families divided by the Korean War. Yumi Tsuji (30s), reflected, “The photos and explanations of the divided families and Filipino women reminded me of my hometown in Japan and my family there.”
The program also included a children's play zone, performances by children and families, and a Global Village Family Cafe. Dr. Moon joined the Global Village Family Cafe, where women talked about the challenges in raising families of peace and shared advice with each other on family relationships, culture, and parent-children relationships. Kim Ji-yoon said, “Listening to each other’s stories, there were a lot of things we could relate to. Hearing the stories of people with a lot of experience and listening to advice was helpful.”
The shared experience of family forms a common foundation for people from around the world to relate, and cast a vision for peace.
Original story in Korean on GPW Korea site.