The International Youth Leadership Course was conducted under the leadership of Professor Yoon Hanna of SSU. Let’s find out what the program is all about based on the coverage of our reporter who participated in the course as an intern. ............................................................Ed

The APDA (Asian Population and Development Association) was established in 1982 with the aim of reaching out to Asian countries and other communities, accelerating economic progress, and promoting global welfare and peace. In particular, it contributes to dealing with population problems and in the nation-building of developing countries. The APPD (Associated Forces of Parliamentarians on Population Development), an affiliate of the APDA, has led the organization of international conferences in the Asian, African, and Arab National Congress. It was a private activity for the general public, but, since this year, it set up a policy proposal for students in a move to cultivate young talents.
The APDA’s Global Young Leaders Forum allows students to exchange opinions on social issues and to create policy proposals. Students will be part of the APDA to discuss and lead forums with politicians around the world, demonstrating what they can do to actively solve various social problems. In the forum, experts and lawmakers participate as panel members to initiate a meaningful discussion, and to participate in international talks hosted by lawmakers.

The APDA provides the APDA’s Global Young Leaders Course in cooperation with the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation), which are both affiliated with the United Nations and World Health Organization, from July 10 to mid-November, respectively, with the aim of submitting policy proposals at the Youth Forum. Participants will attend lectures and discussions with 10 experts in each field, including those dealing women’s and children’s issues, health, economy, and smart agriculture. They will attend lectures and conduct interviews with lawmakers from various countries on Saturdays and through on-line classes.

The curriculum actively utilizes learning methods such as ‘Interdisciplinary Approach,’ ‘Two PBLs Active Learning,’ and ‘Design Thinking’ after considering sustainable development goals. It is intended to improve the ability of each student to be aware of and to solve global problems as a member of the global community.

The course is held 15 times, including 3 hours per class with the Youth Forum, for high school students who are proficient in English. After completing the course, an accredited certificate from the partner organization is issued.
All curriculums and youth forums are planned and conducted by Hanna Yoon, director of KGM (K Government Media) Lab.
Park Jun-young (ST Reporter)
juninge@soongsil.ac.kr