Dear members and friends of Czech-Korean Society,
I would like to you, as an incumbent Czech-Korean Society (CKS) program coordinator, present new program priorities of CKS for period 2014-2015.
Last year CKS was under the leadership of chairwoman Jana Hajzlerová restructured with radical personal and program changes, especially in the professionalization of the board of directors and Society activities. Organizational structure was extended by non-Korean studies professionals in the field of fundraising, development and media; and also by Korean and Czech professionals in the field of Korean culture and Czech-Korean Relations.
This year CKS reestablished its Film Club which will organize regular (every month) screening of North Korean and South Korean movies with lectures about Korean cinematography held in Prague’s FAMU. In response to a huge interest for Korean language in Czech Republic, CKS also established Language Centre which will accumulate all the necessary information about Korean language classes held in Czech Republic, contacts on interpreters, subtitles for Korean movies, and will also organize informal meetings with Czech – Korean language students and Korean – Czech language students.
With regards to the increasing interest for intercultural activities and especially in accordance with the main purpose of CKS to support Czech-Korean dialogue, CKS will focus more on the problematic of integration of Korean community to majority society, through not only increasing awareness about Korean culture in Czech Republic, but mainly through its organizational activities. Among them are above mentioned students meetings, trips and summer camps, sport events with friendly spirit or Czech language classes. To be able to fulfill this mentioned program priorities CKS will apply for several Czech and European funds.
Also in accordance with increasing Czech-Korean trade, CKS will try to support this developing trend in trade relations between Czech Republic and South Korea via cooperation with Korean investors in Czech Republic, as well as their counterparts in South Korea. We register (and in some activities practically implement) e.g. increasing interest among Czech students for internship in Korean companies, demands among Korean companies for Czech professional workers or cooperation with Czech academic institutions. CKS to be able to fulfill this goal cooperates on several projects with other institutions as a direct organizer or facilitator of Czech-Korean cooperation.
During the period 2014/15 CKS will keep intensive partnership with other cultural or official institutions, in the first place The Embassy of Republic of Korea in Czech Republic, Korean Association in Czech Republic, King Sejong Institute in Prague, Czech Tourism in Seoul, Korean Studies department Faculty of Arts Charles University in Prague, The Ostrava House of Culture, Czech Hallyu Wave, AsianStyle and others.
This year CKS will introduce changes in the membership system e.g. it won’t be necessary to pay a membership fee to become a member. Our purpose is not to build a big membership, but to have a big impact through our activities. We will be glad for regular following of our activities and also attending them not only in passive, but especially active way. Annually we offer several internships in different fields under the mentorship of professionals in these fields.
If you have any questions about CKS program, you can contact me on cks_program@yahoo.com, tel. (+420) 737 338 844, Martin Gurín, CKS program coordinator (Prague, Czech Republic).
With other questions or comments please contact CKS secretariat – Katarína Vinšová cks_korea@yahoo.com, tel. +82-010-2893-2267 (Seoul, Republic of Korea).
For contacting chairwoman of CKS Jana Hajzlerová use cks_chair@yahoo.com.
