About 100 domestic and international youth to gather at Eunpyeong-gu Office and Jingwansa Temple on Friday and Saturday; 'Eunpyeong Declaration' and 'Eunpyeong Youth Declaration' to be announced
Seoul's Eunpyeong-gu will host the 2026 IFWY Eunpyeong Conference on Friday and Saturday, wrapping up a month-long international exchange program in which domestic and international youth gathered to discuss culture and global issues.
The conference will serve as a forum to share the educational and discussion outcomes of the international exchange program, which has brought together about 100 domestic and international youth since Sept. 30. Participants will jointly announce the "Eunpyeong Declaration," outlining proposals for a sustainable future, and the "Eunpyeong Youth Declaration," which reflects the changes local youth want to see in the district.
This year, the "Eunpyeong Youth Declaration" will be issued separately alongside the "Eunpyeong Declaration," with a sharper focus on local change. Eunpyeong youth are expected to put forward specific proposals for the district, grounded in local conditions, along with concrete plans for action.
The program ran under the theme "Culture as Our Common Future." Participants explored global issues and sought shared solutions through a preparatory course called the Eunpyeong Academy and a main curriculum called the Global Dialogue.
On the first day, Friday, an opening ceremony and a keynote address by a returning participant from last year will be held at the Eunpyeong-gu Office. Three lectures will follow: Eunpyeong-gu District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung on "Sustainable Development and the Role of Youth," Talk to Me in Korean founder Seon Hyeon-woo on "Cultural Exchange Starting from the Individual," and Seoul National University Graduate School of Environmental Studies Professor Yoon Soon-jin on "Future Energy in an Era of Climate Crisis."
That day, participants will share the contents of both declarations, finalize and adopt them, then select youth representatives to read them aloud at the closing ceremony.
On the final day, Saturday, participants will tour the Eunpyeong Hanok Culture Experience Special Zone and take part in cultural activities tied to Jingwansa Temple, including making lotus-leaf rice, viewing an exhibition and practicing meditation. A performance by traditional Korean music group Yageumyageum and a celebratory show featuring dancer Aiki and Eunpyeong youth will also be staged.
The closing ceremony at Jingwansa Temple will feature the joint announcement of the "Eunpyeong Declaration" and the "Eunpyeong Youth Declaration," encapsulating a month of learning and debate. Youth representatives will read the declarations aloud and present them in a handover ceremony, conveying the shared proposals to the international community and the local district, bringing the 2026 IFWY Eunpyeong Conference to a close.
"The two declarations capture the future that domestic and international youth have thought through together, as well as the changes Eunpyeong youth want to see in their community," District Mayor Kim said. "I hope the proposals from these young people will reach both the local community and the international stage, and that the connections forged in Eunpyeong will grow into lasting exchange and action."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
