No.165 / Sep 4, 2023
Ajou University volunteer group participated in the “Suwon Citizen’s Forest” creation event held in Mongolia. The event was held in Erdene Sum, Mongolia, from July 17 to 21, 2023. About 60 people, including Suwon-si officials, the students of Ajou University, and civic volunteers, participated. Since it was the first event to be held after the COVID-19 pandemic, a volunteer group at our school was formed on a smaller scale unlike before. Director Kim Heung-sik and other officials from the Graduate School of Public Affairs, faculty members of the College of Social Sciences, and the students participated.
This volunteer group conducted volunteer activities by investigating the status of the forest, the growth status of the trees, and managing the afforestation. They also visited the НАЛАЙХ (Nalahh) District Office and the Korean Embassy to continue discussions on exchanges between Mongolia and Korea. Suwon-si signed an agreement with the Mongolian government and Blue Asia company in 2011 to prevent the spread of deserts in Mongolia and reduce yellow dust and began to create a “Suwon Citizen’s Forest”. At that time, Suwon-si decided to plant 10,000 trees on 10ha of land every year by 2020 and plant 100,000 trees on 100ha of land for 10 years. This goal was achieved early in 2016 thanks to the efforts of Suwon citizens and volunteers, who have been steadily participating for five years. Ajou University has also participated in forest restoration work in Mongolia since 2015. Ajou University volunteer group has participated in volunteer activities, tree-planting events, and exchanges with local residents and college students.
During the visit, the Ajou University volunteer group participated in exchange events at Ulaanbaatar University to inform the global environment and share the need for overseas relief projects. An official from Suwon-si said, “We would like to thank the students of Ajou University for always cooperating in the ‘Suwon Citizen’s Forest’ project,” adding, “Please show us a lot of support so that the ‘Suwon Citizen’s Forest’ can be maintained well.” The “Suwon Citizen’s Forest” in Mongolia will be a great hope for the drying earth, in that we are in an era where the earth is boiling, beyond the era of global warming.
By Kim Da-hye, AG Reporter
disney4195@ajou.ac.kr