“Thanks to the 2015 Universiade, … We are proud to live in Gwangju”

Awardees of the first half of the year 2012 Universiade language school competitive exhibition which took place at Suseok Hall, Josun University on June 15th

GWANGJU – Graduates of the Universiade Language School showcased their skills on June 15^th. “Gwangju is the symbolic city of Korean democracy. But it is also the cultural city where Gwangju Biennale takes place and Gwangju will alsoorganize the Universiade in 2015. As one of citizens living in Gwangju, I am proud to live in this city. I would like to share the language skills and the cosmopolitan outlook acquired from the language school at the 2015 Universiade venues.”

Universiade Language School Competitive Exhibition held on June 15th at Suseok Hall, Josun University. Twenty students who took the stage boasted about Gwangju in fluent English, Chinese, Spanish or Japanese, and showed their determination and passion to step forward to do volunteer work using the language skills acquired, thanks to the Universiade.

During this first half of the year, a total of 600 students finished the language program which took place in language academies in 9 universities in the Gwangju region. The competitive exhibition was prepared as a part of the closing ceremony of the 1st semester of the program.

On the day of the competition, various age groups of passionate students, from a high school girl with a uniform to a gray-haired old man, took the stage and had a speech competition on the topic of the Universiade, pride of Gwangju, volunteering, sports, etc. The results of the competition came out to be as follows: Chun, Mi-jung (33 yrs. old, Gwangju Women’s Univ. program) won in English competition and Jin, Mi-young (22 yrs. old, Honam Univ. Confucius Academy) won in Chinese competition.

Chun, Mi-jung who started taking the language school since last fall stated “I was able to build English skills by conversing with native speakers on various topics with the understanding on the Universiade as a base,” and continued “in the year 2015, I really want to be involved as a volunteer knowing what is going on.”

Jin, Mi-young who is majoring in Chinese in a university expressed her aspiration saying “My Chinese friends were surprised to find out that preparation for the Universiade begins a few years before it actually takes place,” and went on “I would like to learn not only Chinese but also other languages as well in the language school and contribute to the Universiade as an interpreter.”

Meanwhile, in order to secure enough volunteer interpreters in advance, Universiade Language School has produced a total of 6,500 trainees so far through on-off line courses which is part of a long-term educational program planned to run until 2015 and targeted at the citizens of Gwangju. It is gaining great favor of those who are trying to build their language skills taking the Universiade as a chance and hope to get a volunteer opportunity in international events.

A member of the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade Organizing Committee stated “Language school is not a mere course for learning languages, but it is planning to broaden its rim and become the general education program where a volunteer can be equipped with capacity and knowledge.

Below is the list of awardees.

English Competition

▲ First runner-up: Kim, Eun-young (41yrs.old, Josun Univ. program), Park, Un-Kyu (71yrs.old, Songwon Univ. program)

▲ Second runner-up: Lee, Mi-sook (37yrs.old, Gwangju College of Education program), Jo, Ae-hui (64 yrs.old, Josun Univ. program), Jo, Young-duk (42yrs.old, Honam Univ. program)

Chinese Competition

▲ First runner-up : Kim, Young-Dae (59yrs.old, Honam Univ. Confucius Academy)

▲ Second runner-up : Lee, Young-jin (22yrs.old)

(Source: Gwangju OC)