SEOUL — Good Neighbors, a global NGO specializing in children's rights, announced today the upcoming "3rd Good Neighbors International Development Cooperation Forum." The event is set to take place on November 7 at Ferrum Hall in Ferrum Tower, Jung-gu, Seoul.
The forum will be held under the theme of "Sustainable Development Cooperation Partnership: Localization and Community-Led Development." Its primary aim is to explore practical strategies for building community-driven development and self-reliance models in the field of development cooperation.
The day’s proceedings will commence with an opening address by Lee Il-Ha, Chairman of Good Neighbors, followed by congratulatory remarks from National Assembly member Lee Yong-Sun. The keynote speech, focusing on "Sustainable Development Cooperation Partnerships," will be delivered by Kwak Jae-Sung, President of the Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation.
A core feature of this forum is the sharing of successful outcomes from community-led development initiatives. Concrete approaches to sustainable development cooperation, centered on resident participation and capacity building, will also be introduced. Professor Kim Young-Wan of Sogang University is scheduled to present his research on "Good Neighbors’ Community Development Project and Local Development Committee Model." Furthermore, project managers from Good Neighbors' operations in Nepal and Kyrgyzstan will directly share real-world examples of development cooperation focused on community participation.
The subsequent panel discussion, moderated by Kwak Jae-Sung, will bring together researchers, practitioners, government officials, and civil society representatives. The discussion will delve into strategies for the practical implementation and expansion of locally-driven development cooperation. The event is accessible to the public and will be livestreamed on the official Good Neighbors YouTube channel.
Kim Sun, Head of the International Programs Division at Good Neighbors, emphasized the critical importance of local involvement, stating, "Achieving sustainability in international development cooperation is impossible without the essential participation of local residents. Good Neighbors will strengthen community-centered self-reliance models to empower local residents to take the lead in solving problems within their own project sites."
The forum underscores a growing consensus in the international aid community: that effective, long-term development must shift power and ownership to the communities themselves. By prioritizing localization, Good Neighbors aims to foster greater resilience and genuine self-reliance in its partner communities worldwide.
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