The 8th World Human Right Cities Forum took place in Gwangju, South Korea on 18-21 October 2018 with the hosting of Gwangju Metropolitan City.
The forum was participated by the team of Human Rights Cities Project carried out in cooperation with Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) and Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI); TDBB Foreign Relations Specialist Hatice Biner, RWI Project Coordinator Bahar Özden, Gülay Günlük Şenesen from Istanbul University and Zelal Yalçın from Yereliz.
The forum was organized cooperatively by Korean Association of Human Rights Studies (KAHRS), Asia Development Alliance (ADA), the Asia Democracy Network (ADN), the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Right (CSIPDH, HR Committee) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The forum this year delved into the issue of community by asking the question Whom Do We Live With? and approached this question with subtopics of diversity, inclusiveness and peace in mind. the program aimed to raise an awareness of our diverse neighbor can be the starting point of building a peaceful urban community which recognizes the multiple identities of its citizens in the current global context.
The opening ceremony of the forum was attended by Chairperson of National Human Rights Commision of Korea Choi Yeongae, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City Lee Yongseop, Vice Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea Lee Taeho, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations Kate Gilmore and Sweden Director of Raoul Wallenberg Institute Morten Kjaerum.
In the first day of the forum, city and human rights based international solidarity, Vienna city of human rights, action plan for peace, Guatemala – the long historical way for the recognition of the human rights, building peace: local government commitments to the human right city and localizing sustainable development goals and human right cities issues were discussed from the speakers from all over the world.
The second day of the program, the topics like City and Environment, City and Economy, City and Women Rights, City and Children were examined. In addition, there was organized a special session for Turkeys Human Rights Cities Project carried out cooperatively by TDBB. Furthermore, City and Elderly, Human Rights in South Korea and International Human Rights Networking Session were held during the second day of the forum.
The sessions of the forum on the third day was focused on multiculturalism issue. Moreover, refugee issue, xenophobia, disability and human rights and gender equality issues were discussed. After the closing session the forum was ended.
