Sense of community key to changing world

Global Civic Sharing Chairman Park Myung-kwang speaks at his office. / Courtesy of Global Civic Sharing

By Lee Kyung-min

• Published Oct 23, 2015 5:11 PM KST
• Updated Oct 23, 2015 5:11 PM KST

By Lee Kyung-min

Park Myung-kwang, chairman of Global Civic Sharing (GCS), an organization that helps developing countries overcome poverty, said fostering a sense of community is a key step toward changing the world for the better.

“The role of civic groups will increase in the future, which in turn would foster people to have a more engaging attitude in everyday life,” he said. “Such grass-root efforts would help people care more about the society.”

Park, a former lawmaker, said sustainable growth has been a passionate subject for him since early in his academic years.

“I once co-managed an academic forum with the club of Rome at Kyung Hee University when I was an assistant professor there in 1979,” he said. “The chairman of the club at the time was Aurelio Peccei, a vocal advocate of capacity building aimed at overcoming the current challenges for humanity. That experience inspired me to pursue a similar initiative.”

He also spearheaded a plan to organize a committee to establish NGOs that was modeled after the international conference of NGO Department of Public Information (UN DPI), Conference on NGO (CONGO), during which time he became acquainted with various NGO leaders

Park said the GCS will hold the 17th anniversary event to commemorate its founding on Oct. 28 at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, which is expected to serve as a great opportunity for those with similar concerns to gather and share their vision.

He said after becoming GCS chairman this year, he learned that active management of the group is crucial in achieving the goal of garnering a concerted and continuous effort from the civic sector.

During the anniversary event, he will discuss ways to materialize the aims by 2030.

“To promote the development of global civic society, we are seeking to encourage people to actively pursue education and to do volunteer activities,” he said.

Among the group’s efforts are conducting research and launching an advocacy campaigning effort to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, with the ultimate goal being the expansion of the Global Civic Sharing movement.

The group aims to become a sound partnership for hope where dedicated activists and committed donors work together in developing countries for people to develop their own villages.

Park graduated from Kyung Hee University. He earned a doctoral degree in economics Santo Thomas.