Children and teenagers from Chamgil Community Child Center in Yecheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, and Daeseong Community Child Center in Changnyeong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, pose for a group photo at the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" held Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]
Children and teenagers from Chamgil Community Child Center in Yecheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, and Daeseong Community Child Center in Changnyeong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, pose for a group photo at the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" held Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]

CJ Donors Camp announced Wednesday that it has successfully concluded its "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp," an initiative that invited multicultural children and teenagers from community child centers to take part in a range of cultural activities.

CJ Donors Camp is the giving platform of CJ Nanum Foundation, established in 2005 on the social contribution philosophy of Chairman Lee Jae-hyun that "companies should be guardians of young people's dreams."

From May, CJ Donors Camp ran a roughly month-long donation campaign titled "One World CJ Is Building Together, Ensemble," aimed at raising awareness of multicultural inclusion. The campaign operated through three channels: donations of CJ ONE lifestyle membership service points, one-time donations via the CJ Donors Camp website, and employee contributions through kiosks installed at six CJ Group affiliates. Combined with CJ Donors Camp's own one-to-one matching donation scheme, the campaign raised a total of 20 million won ($14,100).

The funds supported summer vacation cultural camps at Chamgil Community Child Center in Yecheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, and Daeseong Community Child Center in Changnyeong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province. The camp, held Thursday and Friday, brought together 58 participants in total — 40 children and teenagers, including 24 with immigrant backgrounds, along with eight center teachers and 10 CJ Group employee volunteers.

Participants visited a range of venues, including VIPS, Smob (Sports Monster), 63 Sky Picnic, Cine de Chef and the National Museum of Korea. They also met Suzan Shakya, a Nepal-born broadcaster and author who works to promote multicultural awareness, for a session on understanding and communicating across different cultures.

CJ Donors Camp has led efforts to improve multicultural awareness and spread values of inclusion and coexistence. In April, it aired a tvN documentary, "Ensemble," following a global children's choir from 17 countries as they competed in a choral competition. The organization also operates the "CJ Donors Camp Dream-Nurturing Cultural Diversity Classroom" for the fourth consecutive year in partnership with the Financial Industry Public Interest Foundation.

"We will continue to expand opportunities for cultural experiences so that children and teenagers with immigrant backgrounds can naturally mix with their peers, understand one another and grow together," a CJ Nanum Foundation official said.

A child enjoys a cultural activity at Smob Hanam during the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" on Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]
A child enjoys a cultural activity at Smob Hanam during the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" on Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]
A teenager takes in a view of Seoul from 63 Sky Picnic during the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" on Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]
A teenager takes in a view of Seoul from 63 Sky Picnic during the "Ensemble Summer Vacation Cultural Camp with CJ Donors Camp" on Thursday. [CJ Nanum Foundation]

spa@heraldcorp.com