2020 Gwangju Asia Forum

Solidarity for Justice and peace in Asia 2020 Gwangju Asia Forum

As social distancing became a new normal for a surviving way of the humanity due to the coronavirus pandemic, “doing something” to face and overcome this crisis is as important as “abstaining from doing anything.

”That is why the May 18 Memorial Foundation changed the modality of part of the 2020 Gwangju Asia Forum, which has been prepared in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, to an online one. It may be different in form but our resolution to bring our common goal, “realizing a society for everyone,” through solidarity stays firm.

The 2020 Gwangju Asia Forum is comprised of seven sessions and four of them will be carried out online in both independent and connected way.

The rest sessions will be done along with the 2020 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award Ceremony on October 27, 2020. We wish all of you stay in good health and peace until when we can victoriously embrace each other.

Democracy and Transitional Justice

People who aspire to democratization across the world are struggling against the authoritarian regimes to protect freedom, human rights, and democracy. After World War Ⅱ, the historical reckoning process began to liquidate the shameful past, including judicial justice for the Holocaust. For instance, pro-Nazi collaborators were punished by the French government. The Commissions for Truth and Reconciliation were established in each country to identify the human rights violations under authoritarian regimes and for compensation for victims, restoring their honor, and rebuilding democratic groundwork.

However, we see the regressive phenomena of democracy across the world after each country achieved procedural democratization, which was done based on the blood and sweat of thousands of people. The regression of democracy is due to the failure of historical reckoning and transitional justice.

While the May 18th Gwangju Democratic Uprising marks its 40th anniversary, the truth-finding of state violence and punishment of those who are responsible are still being delayed. Among these lines, we hope to have an in-depth discussion on this matter with civil society activists across Asia.

Retrogression of Asia’s Democracy and Counter-Action

Between the 1980s and 1990s, East Asian countries went through a democratic transition period. Seven countries in the Northeast and Southeast Asian region achieved democratization during that time, of which the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia experienced the change from authoritarianism to democracy.

But thirty years later, there has been a significant change in democracy in Asian countries. In 2006, Thailand had to face the re-emerged authoritarian government and dictatorship after a military coup. In the Philippines, severe human rights violations are seen under the Duterte administration with a pretext of "war on drugs." Indonesia still has a democratic system since the first civilian president Widodo was elected in 2014, but religious conflicts and the military's influence on domestic politics remain a threat.

Thirty years passed after the implementation of democracy in Asia. Taiwan and South Korea are classified as democratic countries, yet they are still in a state of stalemate. Indonesia and the Philippines are unstable, and it is hard to say that Thailand is a democratic country. As such, democracy goes backward on the global level.

In this session, we would like to invite experts from Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia. We will talk about each country's cases, including the issue of divided Korea and try to seek the right directions for progress.

State Violence and Solidarity

For the first time this year, the Gwangju Asia Forum will address the issues of women who suffer the most in extreme violence like state violence or war. This session will deal with the legacies of sexual violence during the May 18th Gwangju Democratic Uprising which was silenced for a long time, gender-based violence against women in Myanmar, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 about women, peace, and security with a focus on how protective measures for women can lead to meaningful results. In addition, we would like to have time to consider where our solidarity for justice and peace should begin and what role civil society can play for people who are greatly suffering.

Youth Reportage on Human Rights

Asia has the largest youth population in the world. The youth are usually known as the most active for the protection of democracy and human rights.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation pays attention to the voices of youth activists. In this sense, the Youth Reportage on Human Rights session has been prepared under the theme of "Democracy and Human Rights from Youths' Viewpoint" to provide a platform to bring the voices of youth activists.

Memories of the May 18 and Solidarity

Participants of this session are non-Koreans who directly and indirectly experienced the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980 while staying in Korea as missionaries, Peace Corps members, or news correspondents and who have sought the truth and meanings of the Uprising and those who got to know about the Uprising later on and tried to spread truth of the Uprising worldwide.

In their speeches viewers will see how hard they tried to protect and be with Gwangju citizens during the Uprising and how much they struggled to spread the truth and meanings of the Uprising to the world.

Special Session: The Necessity and Meanings of UDPMA Designation

The dynamic democratic system in present Korea is the result of constant struggles and sacrifices of people who have fought against militarism and authoritarianism. However, many countries in the world are still suffering from various forms of militarism and authoritarianism and this situation is worsening under the pretext of the Coronavirus pandemic, gravely hampering democracy and human rights.

Facing up this situation, the May 18 Memorial Foundation organized sessions in order to cope with the very issue through global cohesion. Experts and activists in and outside Korea in the field will convene at these sessions to examine the issue and to seek the meanings and efficient implementation measures of the project.