2Nd Annual Korean War Veterans Youth Corps Convention 2014 Unsung Heroes July 25Th-28Th, 2014 / Washington D.C
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2nd Annual Korean War Veterans Youth Corps Convention 2014 Unsung Heroes July 25th-28th, 2014 / Washington D.C. Hosted by Korean War Legacy Foundation, Inc. 2014 Second Annual KWVYC Convention - Unsung Heroes Welcoming Remarks On the morning of July 27, 2012, commemorating the 59th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, I was sitting with many heroes of the Korean War and their families in the Amphitheater of Arlington National Cemetery. Four aircrafts tore through the sky, evoking memories of the shrieks and cheers of soldiers during the 3-year war. At that moment, an important question struck me: “What will be remembered 10 or 20 years from now? Who will be on these benches?” I realized we needed to establish a group of descendants of Korean War Veterans to fill these seats and to take the podium to pass along the legacy of the Korean War. In October 2012, I attended the KWVA Annual Convention in St. Louis, MO, and proposed the idea of forming the KWVs’ descendant organization at the board meeting (Jongwoo Han, Greybeards, Nov/Dec, vol. 26, no. 6). This is how the seed of the KWV Youth Corps was planted. The first convention was launched in 2013 with an enduring theme of: “What good can come out of the Korean War?” Korea’s simultaneous achievement of unprecedentedly rapid economic development substantive democracy since the early 1960s clearly demonstrates the outcome of the noble sacrifice & honorable service of Korean War Veterans. This 2nd convention has two main, but closely related projects: learning how lightly the Korean War is covered in American history textbooks, and how the KWV Youth Corps can contribute to the reversal of such a sad reality. In order to challenge the status quo, our youth will hear from Samantha Fraser, a high school teacher & granddaughter of a KWV Harold L. Maples, on the current coverage of the Korean War in our classrooms. Furthermore, they will work with their heroes to learn how to interview & collect witness & memorabilia, which can be used as classroom materials on the Korean War through the Korean War Veterans Digital Memorial website. This 2nd convention is the first work of the KWV YC leadership led by President Dayne Weber, and I have no doubt that the 3rd Convention will be much bigger and even more fruitful. I want to congratulate the leadership for making its first hard, but sincere step for a long journey. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs of the Republic of Korea for its confidence & support for this significant task. Two members of Korea’s National Assembly, Sungkull Yoo & Hyunmee Kim, have been essential in my efforts to secure a sound financial basis for this project. Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the CEO of Pantech C&I, Byeong-yeop Park, for his continuous support for the Korean War Legacy Foundation and the KWVYC. In the 2015 convention, I envision more youth members and history teachers presenting more stories of “unsung heroes” so that our younger generations know what the brave young men & women from all the 21 countries that participated in the war accomplished: a global freedom alliance beyond the miracle in the Han River. Looking forward to witnessing more good things coming out of the KWVYC, Respectfully Yours, Jongwoo Han, President, Korean War Legacy Foundation, Inc. The Korean War Legacy Foundation, Inc. / (315) 480-9427 / PO Box 808, Syracuse, NY 13214-0808 2 2014 Second Annual KWVYC Convention - Unsung Heroes Hello and Welcome! I am so excited to welcome you all to Washington, D.C. for the Korean War Veterans Youth Corps’ 2nd Annual Convention, Unsung Heroes. We are here to tell the stories of the veterans who have for too long been forgotten. We all should strive to make sure the Korean War no longer remains forgotten, as it is remembered in our hearts and minds. Our weekend is filled with fun and exciting events that I hope you will enjoy. Our two main programs incorporate both points of our mission. Our activities on Saturday will help us get to know the stories of the KWVs who fought bravely during the war. We will spend time with veterans, commemorating the signing of the Armistice that brought an end to conflict on the Korean Peninsula. We will then learn how to interview the veterans so that we can preserve their stories and legacies for generations to come. Interviewing and collecting memorabilia is a very important part of membership in the KWVYC, so please learn and make the most of the time you spend with the KWVs. On Sunday, we will spend time fulfilling the second part of our mission – educating future generations about the lessons of the Korean War. The Korean War is grossly underrepresented in history books, especially here in the United States. The History Book Project has wonderful potential to help us expand the resources available to teachers, so we can make it easy for them to teach the Korean War. We need to spread our knowledge of the sacrifices our heroes made so that others can understand how much was given up to save Korea. Dr. Jongwoo Han did the wonderful job of laying the groundwork for our organization. Now it is our time to take the reins and lead this organization into the future. You have the unique opportunity to truly make a difference. You can make a difference within this organization, shaping its direction. You can make a difference in the world, by sharing the stories of the Korean War so that others may learn to prevent future conflict by understanding the lessons from the Korean War. The Korean War was a global affair, bringing soldiers and medical aid from 21 different nations. Our organization has the potential to become a global force. Although we all see the world through different eyes, we have the same motivations. We all want our grandparent’s stories to be told before it is too late. Take advantage of our group’s diversity, and learn to understand different points of view. Our organization is dedicated to maintaining the legacy of our veterans, who are sadly not going to be with us for much longer. You have traveled great distances to be with us, and we have been anticipating this convention for a long time now. We are so happy to finally have you here with us. We hope that you make the best of this weekend! Please get to know each other and the veterans we will spend time with. We want you to leave motivated to carry on our legacy as the newest members of the KWVYC. Do great work, be enthusiastic, listen to the stories, and learn from each other & the veterans. Most importantly, have fun! All the best, Dayne Weber, KWVYC President The Korean War Legacy Foundation, Inc. / (315) 480-9427 / PO Box 808, Syracuse, NY 13214-0808 3 2014 Second Annual KWVYC Convention - Unsung Heroes Preface “Unsung Heroes” We, the KWV descendant generations, will preserve and carry on the legacies of the sacrifices and services of the veterans of the Korean War. We are devoted to educating future generations about the heroic untold stories and the lessons learned from the Korean War. Our primary missions are to preserve the KWVs’ memories, services, and sacrifices, and to educate the future generations so that they may understand the significance and meaning of the Korean War. We are committed to creating peaceful and mutual prospects through our membership by creating a global community through the KWV descendant generation program. After the 2013 KWV Legacy Workshop, the KWLF plans to establish a World KWV Youth Corps that will reach out to members of developing countries in reminiscence of the Republic of Korea back to the 1900s. The Foundation will closely work with the Korean government including the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) of The Republic of Korea to implement this vision. Mission Statement The Korean War Veterans Youth Corps preserves the legacy of Korean War veterans, and promotes and educates future generations advocating the lessons of the Korean War through their descendants so that the Korean War will never be forgotten. Purpose The purpose of this Organization shall be: 1. To acquire knowledge of the Korean War & its impacts upon Korea & East Asian politics. 2. To preserve & promote the legacy of Korean War veterans associated with men and women who supported the Republic of Korea's forces by land, air, or sea during the Korean War. 3. To ascertain the deeds & honor the memories of the men & women who rendered service to the cause of the Korean War. 4. To promote the commemoration of the Republic of Korea's national anniversaries related to the Korean War. 5. To educate tomorrow's youth on the Korean War 6. To love, support and expand the values of global peace, freedom, patriotism & liberty. 7. To provide countries in need with volunteering activities of the KWV Youth Corps. 8. Cooperate with the KWVDM Foundation Inc. & the Advisory Council. The workshop will train local KWVDM representatives on how to efficiently collect the artifacts of the Korean War and carry out successful interviews with local Korean War Veterans. The Korean War Legacy Foundation, Inc. / (315) 480-9427 / PO Box 808, Syracuse, NY 13214-0808 4 2014 Second Annual KWVYC Convention - Unsung Heroes Dress Code Adopted January 18, 2014 Appropriate dress is required for all members and guests. Dress Code is in effect from registration of function to formal completion of function. Business Sessions and ALL public areas of the hotel: Casual or business casual.