Wadjda-Is it forbidden to ride a bike for her?

What does freedom mean to human being? Everybody has the freedom to breathe, eat and sleep. Some people do not have the freedom except these common ones. There are two groups of people according to its characters. One is able to enjoy more freedom, but the other have relatively limited amount. Maybe there are some reasons to these kinds of discrimination. Today, I’d like to talk about 'Wadjda', a movie that illustrated a case of incomprehensible discrimination.

The Middle East countries – most, not all of them - show high national income, but are not acknowledged as advanced countries because of their lack of sensibility on human right. Especially women's rights are being deprived, being controlled and repressed by men. That is why the documentary films or movies made by the women producers in a country like Iran have strong messages of the resistance against men. But it is forbidden for women to produce films in the neighbor country, Saudi Arabia. So, the Saudi Arabian films were never talked about in the world movie industry. This film, 'Wadjda' has a special meaning for being produced in Saudi Arabia, a country of the strict regulations for the first time,

The leading character in the movie is an elementary school girl named Wadjda. She suffers from hardships to be able to ride a bike. The Middle East is ruled by each country's royal authorities, and most of their politics and religions have unity so that religion supports the royal authorities. In this society, the women in the Middle East are controlled and repressed by men who have the dominant positions in politics and religions. So, women are trained and educated to obey men so they submit to men in Saudi Arabia. It was forbidden for the women to ride a bike so Wadjda struggled to collect money to buy a bike. She was a little girl, but her growling to her parents for a bike was not accepted because of these reasons. She collects money with a clever scheme like selling her things.

Her mother Reem Abdullah and the president of her school Ahd, as adults who were trained to obey regulations were worried for Wadjda who shows a strong will to ride a bike. They desperately tried to stop the Wadjda and teach her what the society requires from women. In this film, the uniformed buildings and scenery shows us their strict regulations of religion and society. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country. Most of them are Shia so they do not tolerate other religions and freedom. They adhere to old customs and Islam Fundamentalism that descended from the ancestors of Saudi Arabian royal family and they regard all their religious acts and regulations as being sacred. The Koran is treated as their absolute standard. Because of this standard, Wadjda joined in the religion class even though she didn't want to. And she struggled to recite the Koran to get the prize money for the bike. When she got the 1st prize, the school president asked her where she was going to use the money and she naively answered that she would buy a bike. Her prize money was taken away from her and was donated to the Palestine youth group regardless of her will. I felt that it was a shame that happened, and it led me to have some deep thoughts about the negative influence of religion.

Just like in the movie, oppressed women are everywhere around Saudi Arabia. Son preference is prevalent in the country. Wadjda's father brought in a new wife because Wadjda's mother was unable to give him a son. Polygamy is an evil custom that resulted from the son preference. In the end, Wadjda finally rode a bike with big smile with her mother's support. This leaded to break down the regulation that women cannot ride a bike in Saudi Arabia and now they can ride freely in the country. It was explained in caption. I felt that the power of culture is so strong from the movie. If these small movements can turn the impossible things to be possible, this world would be getting bright and new.

IPYG: See WYD (World Youth Day) through AYD (Asian Youth Day)

‘See WYD (World Youth Day)

through AYD (Asian Youth Day)’

 

-The official logo of WYD (world youth day) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013-

 

      

Coming in August, Pope Francis will visit South Korea. The purpose of the visit is to participate in ‘6thAsian Youth Day (AYD)’. AYD is held in Dageon and Chungnam region from August 13th to the 17th. Though, this will be the first time that Pope takes part in AYD, not World Youth Day (WYD) which involves more than 2 million catholic young people. Regardless of religion, this 6th AYD is meaningful as it is organized for Asian young people who have had difficulties joining in WYD.

 

With starting AYD this year, there are some movements to hold 2019 WYD in South Korea. WYD was established by pope John Paul II in 1986. This event is held at the diocesan level annually and at the international level every two or three years, for almost a week. In order to attend this event, a number of young people will come from around the world. It is no exaggeration to say that this event occupies the most important part in Catholic Youth Movements.

 

Even though this event is basically for gathering and celebrating their faith, it is not just about a specific religion and it also has a transcendental attitude in general. Various cultural events are held as people all over the world are gathering. Through this, this is recognized as an international cultural event. Regardless of Religion, this event is very attractive because it makes us think as one. If WYD is held in Korea in 2019, I want to participate in WYD.

 

 

- IPYG International Peace Youth Group - 

 

 

After watching ‘Edge of Tomorrow’

In the near future, mankinds encounter crisis of destruction by the invasion of alien tribe called Mimic. Bill Cage(Tom Cruise) is assigned in the operation which is no better than suicide operation without any drills and equipments, then meets his death in the battle. However, impossible things happen. He wakes up again at the time when the dreadful incident began and takes part in the war. He repeats to be dead and revived. So he finds out the foreign beings called Mimic and obstructs them. Eventually, the world regains peace among the Earth. That's all the contents of Edge of Tomorrow which was released recently.

As today's genres and contents became more various than the past, I usually go to cinema for enjoying the varieties. Among diverse movies, movies about war are coming out constantly. I can also realize this trend by the fact that the movies which are now crossing my mine are ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘DMZ A Demilitarized Zone’, ‘A Bombing Squad’ and ‘Someone said Let’s meet again’.
 

Characters in films regarding war like Edge of Tomorrow are mostly young, have dreams, promised a future with their loved ones and live their lives so passionately. However, their dreams of life are locked in a battlefield like a dark prison and trampled down like cows which are dragged to slaughterhouse regardless of their wills. Also, even if they survive, they are living with having mental traumas and senses of guilt that they could not save their fellow soldiers.
 

When I think if my family or I am a character of Edge of Tomorrow, I felt dreadful. I've thought about the question, ‘What is the relationship between the wars around the world and me?’. There will be no nation which haven't experienced any kind of wars. Wars happened also in my country, South Korea. Therefore, wars must be eradicated for everyone who lives in this era and descents who should live in the bright future.
 

So, we, IPYG, are starting to show its beginning first by doing a small action. Even if the beginning is tiny, the world will be lightened by the light of one man who will deliver the light to another men and they pass it again to the other men. We will try harder until the world will turn to the world filled with peace, without war.

 

For the Human Rights

In May, 2014, there was the 19th Seoul Human Rights Film Festival in Seoul, South Korea. The slogan of this film festival was 'I Am Here.' This looked like the reminder of what we have forgotten which we should not have forgotten. It also made me think about Human Rights more.

 

Human rights is a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person. However, there are numerous people who are not able to have rights to live their lives as a human.

 

This picture shows the situations people don't have guarantee of human rights with violence. When you look at this picture, you can feel how serious the situation is. Not only the problems of violence, Lots of cases of violation of human rights are there throughout the world. Most of them cannot even afford to ask for any help to anyone.

 

To eliminate these cases, some people tried to alarm and made them to self-questioning about the violation of human rights spread before the World War Ⅱ by declaration for International Human rights. That was how the International Human Rights was set on Dec.10.

 

Hopefully, not only the people celebrate the day of International Human Rights as just a holiday, but the day of desire of peaceful world with getting supported by people and guaranteeing the human rights.

A fighter for Independence, Jung-geun Ahn had beautiful hands.

I was wandering for 3 years making efforts to make Korean independence restored and peace in Asia remained. But finally, it couldn't be achieved and I'm dying here, I have a wish before I die. I want you, twenty million brothers and sisters to try harder for studying, raising unemployment and restoring free independence.

-From the patriotic martyr, Jung-geun Ahn's last will shortly before he die for his country-

That statement above is the will of Jung-geun Ahn who died for his country as a fighter for independence. In my childhood, I learned about him just on the school textbook. But now, I think of him by not the knowledge but the heart.

When we look at his fingers, we can notice that one of his finger joints was cut. He meant to show his earnest mind for peace and independence by cutting his finger.

 

It is not too much to say that his mind was originated from his parents. The first thing that came up in my mind when I think of him is that he killed Itō Hirobumi using a bomb. When he was jailed for that, his mother sent a shroud and a letter that said "You were right, so face the death honorably." But actually, we cannot even imagine how his mother felt desperate.

 

Thomas Jung-geun Ahn. People called him thomas for decades not knowing why he is thomas. He was a Catholic, so he was given the name 'Thomas' as a baptismal name. He, as a citizen of Korea and a Catholic, said that "I will shout and do my best for the independence even in heaven when I hear the voices crying out for that.”

I'm really thankful for that we can live a peaceful lives now thanks to his independence movements with a determination of death.

 

I think we should search for the ways that we also can do feeling thankful to the fighters for independence who left a peaceful world to us, even sacrificing their lives. Furthermore, I hopefully wish for the world fully filled with peace and without repeating any victims and tragedies regarding wars.

 

Gypsy and Rom

 

Gypsy performs a very charming flamenco. We might think sometimes that gypsies who passionately dance wearing a red dress in a movie or a musical are charming. Tom Cruise had said that he had a crush on Penelope Cruz when she was performing flamenco in a movie, Volver. But, in reality, gypsies could not have a colorful life as people usually thought. According to the dominant view gypsies ,a nomadic minority, were derived from India and came to Eastern Europe in the 1400s. At that time gypsies had life such as slave under serfdom and wandered here and there without a fixed residence. They call themselves Rom, Lom, Roma, or Dom, not a gypsi. All these names have a meaning of human. My heart ached with sympathy for them. (Therefore, I will use the term ‘Rom’, not ‘gypsi’ in this text.)

 

The entertainment is the most appropriate work for some Rom who do not stay one place for a long time. In this regard, lots of Rom gain their livelihood as a performer like a clown, a musician or a fortune-teller. On the other hand, there are some other Rom who settle down their life but they belong to the poor strata according to the survey of UNDP in 2011. In addition, half of their children do not attend an elementary school.

 

In history, there had been lots of discrimination on Rom. They used to be burned at the stake or buried alive while being regarded as a symbol of devil or a target of witch-hunt in the Middle Ages. Also, Nazi Germany had persecuted them, so about 15 million people were killed. In recent years, Rom who live in the core of London have some difficulties such as migration restrictions and deportation on a charge of mess and misdemeanor. The reason they are being persecuted is that they keep on wandering without regularly paying a tax. This is against the claims of Europeans.

 

I think, across the ages and in all countries of the world, the apple of discord is from the disapproval without understanding and the greed forcing one’s idea on others. As all people are entirely different in character, every country and race has their own nationality and ethnicity. However, we did not accept the differences but made an ethnic group, Rom, have a sorrowful life. I sincerely hope that there is no longer any repetition of these persecutions and sorrowful history, while reminding myself of the saying ‘There will be no more discrimination if we agree to disagree.’

Vita Activa, - about Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Vita Activa, - about Medecins Sans Frontieres.

 

In the early 20 century, all mankind had been groaning under the imperialism policy of the world powers and two World Wars. Lots of countries were drawn into these wars regardless of whether there was a specific reason of war. The war came to an end around the middle of the 20th century, however, it left nasty aftereffects on the earth such as the war orphans, refugees, and all kinds of disease. No one was in charge of the compensation for damage. Some countries declared their independence without any preparation, and some others became under the trusteeship and the intervention of international organizations.

 

In this situation Nigerian Civil War occurred. Nigeria, the oil producing country, separated from British rule after 60 years and got a right to sell development of petroleum. and then the most important thing is to achieve Nigerian political power. In There were the most powerful Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba in about 250 great and small tribes. After independence, Hausa tribe that produced the president, which was used to monopolize profit of selling oil and carried out profitable policies for their tribe. Hausa was in Islamic power, Yoruba was in mixture of Islamic and Christian power, and Ibo was in Christian power. Moreover Ibo was devout and their educational level was higher than other tribes' average. Through this, Ibo couldn't be at feud with Hausa. So their choosing way was the war. Therefore in 66 Ibo staged a coup and killed a prime minister from Hausa. And then they held the reigns of government.

 

The glory, However, short and revenge was strong. After just months the war occurred by a coup by an officer form northen lasted for about 3 years, came under its rule, and orphans, refugees, hunger happened. In this process many national groups intervened and because The Red Cross was sub- group of UN peacekeeping groups, it was so quiet. Since Bernard Kouchner and his colleague felt limit on calm movement of The Red Cross, they make a recommendation to the Government and the Media. And they felt the need to become a group doing relief activities activily. On the baise of such worry and belief, since December 20 1971, Medecins Sans Frontieres(MSF) was established.

 

The relief system of MSF having about 3000 volunteers in 45 nations is on a constant alert. MSF was created in the belief that all people should have access to healthcare regardless of gender, race, religion, creed or political affiliation, and that people's medical needs outweigh respect for national boundaries. MSF's principles of action are described in our charter, which established a framework for our activities. MSF is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

 

Since foundation MSF has worked in about 80 nations and during Gulf war in 1991, did 70,000 relief work a refugee camp. Especially in October 1995, as only NGO, MSF entered South Korea and supported South Korean suffering from famine and infectious disease. Thanks to these work, in 1997, they received Seoul Peace Prize from Seoul Special City. Over the years, MSF has received many prestigious awards in recognition of its medical humanitarian work. In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

The motto of MSF is simple. It is that Everyone has a right to get medical services. The protection of right for everyone, that is why MSF became a group that received the Nobel Peace Prize. Peace is not achieved easily. Peace needs a lot of efforts and toils. All the time we should remember, in any case, there is no keeping peace without carrying out.