Now on its 5th year, The May 18 Memorial Foundation will be hosting the 2008 Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School on August 11-29, 2008 in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Twenty-five (25) participants from 14 Asian countries were chosen to attend the folk school.
Popularized by NFS Grundtvig, folk school is a pedagogy emulated all over the world as an alternative, democratic and popular medium of education. The aim of the folk school is to contribute to the development of democracy and human rights throughout Asia and provide participants an opportunity to learn and experience Korea's history and the development process of its human rights and democracy. The Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School will be conducted both on a theoretical and practical experiences through seminars, workshops, discussions, and field trips to Korea's sites of democratization movements.
Participants of the folk school were chosen among applicants who work for human rights, advocates democracy and peace and social development workers. They belong to different fields and sectors such as the academe, media, cultural workers, informal sector, urban poor group, youth and the like.
For the past two (2) years the foundation has supported 10 scholars to Sungkonghoe University for their Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies (MAINS) Programme. Those scholars were previous participants of the folk school who applied for admission to the MAINS Programme. They were endorsed by the foundation based on their active performance and participation in the folk school.
The following are the Lists of Participants to the 2008 Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folks School:
A. Senior
1) Ataur Rahman BMSF - Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadhik Forum (Bangladesh Human Rights Journalist Forum)
2) Ihagama Gedara Mudiyanselage Asela Bandara Commission for Justice Peace Human Development Human Rights Secretariate
3) Jessica E. Amon COM - Community Organizers Multiversity
4) Rowena Legaspi Children¡¯s Legal Rights and Development Center, Inc.
B. Middle Manager
1) Md. Sazzad Hussain Odhikar
2) Pitttiya Gedara Chameera Eroshana Perera AFMD - Association of Family Members of the Dissapeared
3) Mohammad Nasir Karimi UNAMA - Organization Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan
4) Meng Jiuan Chen Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation
5) Kshetrimayum Onil Reachout
6) Vince Aureflor Cinches Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center, Inc.
7) Dhiah Hartini Voice of Human Rights News Centre
8) Prashant Singh PVCHR - People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights
9) Muhammad Imran Afridi FRSO - Frontier Rural Support Organization
C. Junior
1) Bhawana Bhatta Youth Action Nepal
2) Paudyal Mahesh National Human Rights Commission, Nepal
3) Nai-Wei Cheng The Memorial Foundation of 228
4) Ti Hooi Neow DEMA - Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement
5) Jiranan Hanthamrongwit Foundation for Community Educational Media
6) Niabdulghafar Asian Resource Foundation
7) Gufron IMPARSIAL - The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor
8) Kuy Rumduol Youth for Peace
9) Kong Keo Sokunthea CCIM - Cambodia Center for Independent Media
10) Janet B. Macailing Workers Assistance Center, Inc.
Junior Participants
Jiranan Hanthamrongwit Foundation for Community Educational Media
Ti Hooi Neow - DEMA
Bhawana Bhatta - Youth Action Nepal
Janet B. Macailing Workers Assistance Center, Inc.
Kuy Rumduol Youth for Peace
Kong Keo Sokunthea CCIM - Cambodia Center for Independent Media

GBK Ritasari - The May 18 Memorial Foundation

Nai-Wei Cheng The Memorial Foundation of 228
Gufron - IMPARSIAL
(The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor)

Niabdulghafar Tohming - Asian Resource Foundation

Paudyal Mahesh National Human Rights Commission
Thet Din - The May 18 Memorial Foundation
Middle Manager
Dhiah Hartini Voice of Human Rights News Centre
Meng Jiuan Chen - Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Muhammad Imran Afridi - FRSO
Prashant Singh - PVCHR
Vince Aureflor Cinches - CVFDC

Md. Sazzad Hussain - Odhikar
Kshetrimayum Onil - Reachout
Mohammad Nasir Karimi - UNAMA
Pitttiya Gedara Chameera Eroshana Perera - AFMD
Senior Participants
IGM Asela Bandara - CJPHDHR Secretariate
Jessica Amon - CO Multiversity
Ataur Rahman - BMSF

Rowena Legaspi - CLRDCI