The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), South Korea’s official development aid agency, held the ‘KOICA WFK Program Partner Organization Workshop’ in the Luxor Governorate for one day. The workshop took place in the conference hall of the Iberotel Hotel in the Luxor governorate. Participants included three partner organizations from the Egyptian side, the KOICA Office Country Director, the Volunteer Program Manager, and three KOICA volunteers from the Korean side.
As part of the ongoing cooperation and commitment between the KOICA Egypt Office and Luxor organizations, which are central cooperative regions in Upper Egypt, the workshop aimed to strengthen ties and discuss the volunteers’ activities in spreading Korean language education in Luxor.
The workshop highlighted the results of the practical education curriculum for students introduced in the last event, ‘Yala Maa Baad,’ held on April 24, 2023, in Luxor.
In addition, the KOICA Egypt Office discussed dispatching new volunteers in the automotive and electronics fields to the Luxor Industrial Mechanical Secondary School, which received KOICA volunteers in 2008.
The heads and officials of the three entities participated and shared their vision for more fruitful cooperation. They also discussed ways to support youth empowerment activities that could be held by KOICA volunteers.
Notably, Lee Guen Gyeong, a KOICA volunteer, shared her presentation on the ‘Yala Maa Baad’ event and its outcomes. Three KOICA Korean language volunteers in EGOTH, MODLI (Ministry of Defense Language Institute), and Aswan University led the event.
The ‘Yala Maa Baad’ event aimed to provide 30 Egyptian students who are learning the Korean language in those schools with a chance to practice Korean tour guiding and exchange knowledge and experiences through various activities and exercises. Additionally, the event offered prospects for students, particularly those who are eager to begin a career in the tourism sector.
In Luxor, one of the most attractive touristic sites in Egypt, KOICA expects partner organizations to help students strengthen their capacity by providing practical Korean language education and training programs, and fostering students to be employed or self-employed as tour guides.
Saleh Mohamed Abdel Moety, Dean of “The Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotels,” and Suzan Wadeea Helmy, Principal of the Luxor Industrial Mechanical Secondary School, expressed their sincere gratitude to KOICA for organizing the workshop, which they described as a fruitful event for knowledge sharing and strong partnerships.
Mohamed Hassany, Director of the Misr Public Library, acknowledged the significant impact of the two KOICA volunteers who are currently teaching the Korean language to students at the library.
Furthermore, he articulated his aspiration for the library to organize a Cultural Day that would exhibit Korean costumes, food, and shows, thereby providing a valuable opportunity for cultural exchange and enhancing the friendship between the Korean people and the Egyptian community. Such an event would undoubtedly contribute to promoting cultural understanding and appreciation, fostering mutual respect, and deepening the bonds of friendship between the two nations.
Jinyoung Kim, Country Director of the KOICA Egypt Office, expressed her gratitude to the heads and co-workers of the partner organizations for their cooperation and shared the KOICA Office’s high priority to expand and vitalize the partnership in the Luxor region.
She also stressed that interactive cooperation among partner organizations and diversification of volunteering fields are vital in achieving better results in youth empowerment through the volunteer program.
KOICA is a Korean government agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dedicated to implementing grant aid programs aimed at combating poverty and supporting sustainable socio-economic growth in developing countries around the world.
