With Commonwealth Games (CWG) tickets going on sale from June 1, it may be worth assessing how the host country benefits from holding events such as the World Cup, Olympics or Asian Games. They attract millions. There are spectators and thousands of players, officials and journalists. The visitors contribute to the local economy every time they pay for accommodation, travel and shopping. Some visitors may also see business opportunities and end up engaging in trade and commerce with the host country.
Equally crucial is the image the visitors take back of the host country. They virtually become brand ambassadors for the country they have visited. If a wider positive impression is created by word of mouth, it could mean the influx of millions of tourists from different parts of the globe. All of this builds a global brand image of the host country.
So immense is the scope for infrastructure creation, revenue-generation and image-building in the short and long term that countries do not want to miss out the opportunity to play host. The South Koreans developed many parts of their country in a planned and strategic manner by hosting the 1988 Olympic Games in different places. The initial events were in Seoul, then in Busan. The 2014 Asian Games will be in Incheon. Such an approach helps develop the whole country using the funds given to sporting events. It creates infrastructure, helps employment and can enhance the agenda for inclusive growth.
But for India, it has been a case of missed opportunities. New Delhi has not been able to use these Games – and others – strategically to develop different parts of the country. From the first Asian Games in 1951 to their 1982 edition, from the 2010 hockey World Cup to the CWG, the venue has always been Delhi.
Even so, India could still derive significant benefits from the CWG. It could capitalize on the global attention its economy is getting. It could showcase itself by attempting to achieve the following: One, create proper infrastructure. Two, ensure the Games are incident-free by putting in place an effective security and disaster management plan. Three, plan cultural events in select destinations. Four, create special-focus tourism zones, which could include Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi and Kulu Manali.
Each objective requires a task force that integrates seamlessly with others. National prestige is involved so India’s political leadership should put aside its differences and work jointly to ensure the Games are a resounding success.
Security threats are the main concern in this part of the world, so it is high time everyone – from the home ministry to state governments to the ordinary citizen – gears up to face the challenge.
Creating special focus tourism zones would require a multipronged approach. It would include the facelift/maintenance of monuments, proper infrastructure development and a foolproof security structure. Planned cultural and culinary events and handicraft expos would go a long way towards attracting tourists. In addition, the National Cadet Corps and college students could be trained to create tourist awareness among the public. Special drives to encourage artisans and fine arts institutions could help produce handicrafts and innovative souvenirs to be sold exclusively during the CWG.
Handling tourists in large numbers involves planning. For the ‘pretrip’ phase, communication campaigns should be backed up with easy-to-use tourist websites. Payment gateways should be created to enable secure online payments. The ‘frequently asked questions’ section of tourism websites must be revamped. During the ‘trip’ phase, the role of designing mini-visits within the overall itinerary will be of immense importance. In the ‘posttrip’ phase, feedback and planning for future trips is required.
It would also be essential to maintain high standards of airport and flight management and a comprehensive anti-terror blueprint including coordination with international intelligence agencies. This would need multi-tier agency coordination. It is important there is no electricity grid failure. Disaster plans need to be chalked out. Media and PR management will be critical. So will be controlling pollution (air, water and noise) in line with international standards.
Tourist experiences linger on as memories, which can be built by events. They can be of two types – those that are associated with the history of the destination city and the second with events characterizing the general region visited. For instance, a host of events can be organized at Agra, such as light and sound shows at the Agra Fort, concerts on the banks of the Yamuna, handicrafts fairs, Mughlai food festivals in major hotels, night markets selling souvenirs, replays of Barsana Holi in Mathura or musical soirees that offer glimpses of Indian culture. Dramatizing historical events at Fatehpur Sikri or a diving show at Buland Darwaza would fascinate tourists.It would make for a unique experience – for tourists and the host country alike.
Source: DEVASHISH DASGUPTA, associate professor of marketing, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Changing Seoul for more foreign friendly
This is a well written statement about making Seoul more foreign friendly. I hope, based on the given statistics (http://blog.naver.com/korea_brand/10086193376), Seoul will be friendlier than ever. I am presenting the very same text for disseminate to make informed decision among foreigners.
According to the recent statistics of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign residents of Seoul is estimated at around 250,000 taking up 2.5% of Seoul’s total population. This is an increase by 100,000 people within the last 3 years – a stupendous increase, indeed. This signifies just how fast Seoul is turning into a global and multicultural city. Then how satisfied are the over 250,000 international residents living in Seoul? According to the survey conducted in November 2009 on foreigners who had been living in Seoul for more than one year, their degree of satisfaction scored 3.8 out of 5 points, which is an increase for three consecutive years. But of course, there are things to be improved. To that end, Seoul city has launched the “Happy City Project” which includes various support programs for foreigners in communication, multiculturalism, solving everyday problems and obstacles, and so on. The project focuses on 15 foreigner-dense areas designated as “Global Zones” which include the Seoul City Hall area, Yeoksam, Samsung, Yeouido, Ichon, Itaewon, Hannam, Yeonnam, Seorae Village, Myeongdong, Insadong, Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, etc. Also the construction of the “Global Cluster Building” will begin in May, which will include a one-stop help center for foreigners and chamber of commerce offices of various countries. The “Global Business Help Center” will open in mid-May in COEX with the aim to help foreigners set up small to medium-sized businesses in Korea. And the on-site consultation service, where a batch of staff visits areas with high concentrations of foreigners, will be further streamlined.
Last January, 14 additional multicultural family support centers opened in Seoul, which makes a total of 20 such centers. A web site (http://mcfamily.seoul.go.kr) designed to provide information on Seoul city and job vacancies for foreign spouses was launched in five languages including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, English and Korean. A support center for migrant workers has also been operating, providing Korean-language classes that put focus on industrial site-related vocabulary. There is also the International Student Forum, and the foreign students support desks at major universities that provide counseling and information on Korea for international students. Various cultural performances will take place in Mugyo-dong “Global Street” near the Seoul City Hall, and flea markets for foreigners will be held at the Seoul Folk Flea Market in Sinseol-dong. Furthermore, the Seoul Help Center for Foreigners is going to sponsor 16 foreign community festivals including the Mongolian Naadam Festival and the Irish Folk Dance Festival. For medical services, the current 11 medical centers for foreigners will be expanded to 17 by 2012, and a Global Open Health Center will be launched in Yeongdeungpo-gu and Geumcheon-gu districts in May, where treatments for pregnant women and infants from multicultural families will be provided.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
India's development: Few questions
Yesterday, I was attending a lecture and in fact a close class room debate on sustainability. Class composed from different background of students both from developing to developed countries students. Few of my friends ask me questions these questions:
Student A asked, when I visited India I saw many people are begging, why? Student B asked three questions: about caste system in India, Kashmir issues and scope of micro finance to resolve poverty problems.
Later on, I though a lot on the given issues and found more or less these are the biggest bottleneck for India's development.
First, Poverty, despite our development still our 25 percent people can not afford 1 US$ a day. Despite strict reservation system yet we did not break the caste system especially backward class in the society almost have similar conditions. And still we have issues of Kashmir and there is no immediate solution for the same. Kashmir issue is also important in today context because we invest a lot of our budget for Kashmir that could be probably used for developing our country.
However, despite all these problems country is moving towards development path. These issues will remain for ever (at least for a century) for academic discussion.
May God help us to resolve these issues and fulfill our dream of India where no one live in poverty, no one feel suppress.
Student A asked, when I visited India I saw many people are begging, why? Student B asked three questions: about caste system in India, Kashmir issues and scope of micro finance to resolve poverty problems.
Later on, I though a lot on the given issues and found more or less these are the biggest bottleneck for India's development.
First, Poverty, despite our development still our 25 percent people can not afford 1 US$ a day. Despite strict reservation system yet we did not break the caste system especially backward class in the society almost have similar conditions. And still we have issues of Kashmir and there is no immediate solution for the same. Kashmir issue is also important in today context because we invest a lot of our budget for Kashmir that could be probably used for developing our country.
However, despite all these problems country is moving towards development path. These issues will remain for ever (at least for a century) for academic discussion.
May God help us to resolve these issues and fulfill our dream of India where no one live in poverty, no one feel suppress.
Multiculturalism in Korea: Way forward
A good analysis by Prof. KIM Seong-kon, SNU
We often hear that South Korea is rapidly becoming a multicultural country these days. At first glance this seems to be true as approximately 1.2 million foreigners currently reside in Korea, and more than 8,000 foreign brides come to Korea each year to marry Korean men. Indeed, interracial marriage between Korean men and foreign women seems to be fashionable lately. As a result, one can see half-Korean children affectionately playing with full-Korean children in the countryside, and studying together in schools.
Has Korea really become a multicultural society? The answer may be "not yet," if not "no." Unlike the United States, which is truly a multicultural and multiethnic country, Korea is only in the fledgling stages of multiculturalism. Strictly speaking, we are striving to embrace minority cultures rather than seeking to build a multicultural society in which different cultures exist equally with the same weight and importance. When we say America is a multicultural nation, we assume there is no longer a single dominant culture in American society, at least theoretically. When we say Korea is a multicultural society, however, we naturally envision a society in which the homogeneous culture of the Korean people takes center stage and minority cultures remain on the sidelines. Consequently, the term "multicultural" cannot be used to describe contemporary Korean society. Rather, foreign brides and their half-Korean children can be characterized as a "minority" within our society.
Since the United States is a country made of immigrants, it was once called "the melting pot." However, the nickname, "the melting pot," was replaced by the term, "the tossed salad," to account for the fact that the many cultures in America remain distinct, and not blended into a hybrid mush. America is indeed like "the tossed salad," comprised of a wide variety of vegetables and yet producing a harmonious taste. Others call America "the rainbow coalition," with each color of the rainbow representing the unique cultures in America that come together to achieve the supreme harmony of a rainbow.
When Barak Obama was elected president of the United States, my daughter came up with an intriguing idea. She approached me and surprised me as usual with her creative suggestion, saying: "Wouldn't "assorted chocolates" be a good metaphor for the United States, Dad?" "Well, what makes you think so?" I asked. "In a box of assorted chocolates," she said, "there are chocolates with different colors and flavors. Usually, there are brown, dark and white chocolates of different shapes in the box. Sometimes there are yellow, red and pink chocolates as well, arranged side by side. They have distinct flavors, and yet together, they make a fine box of assorted chocolates." In a box of chocolates, indeed, one can find a fine symbolism of peaceful co-existence and harmony of different skin colors, cultural heritages, and individual identities.
The same metaphor may be applied to Korean society as well. Currently, our immediate concern is how to help foreign brides and their half-Korean children assimilate into Korean society. That is to say, we are trying to absorb minority cultures into mainstream Korean culture, instead of acknowledging their cultural or ethnic identities. That is why we have a nationwide campaign to embrace foreign brides and their children as fellow Koreans, and to acculturate them into Korean society. We do not think that minority cultures can be part of Korean society. In that sense, we are trying to create a melting pot, rather than a tossed salad or a box of assorted chocolates.
In 2050, however, experts predict that one out of four or five people in Korea will have an ethnic minority background. If so, we should be prepared to build a truly multicultural, global society on the Korean peninsula. Within 40 years, Korea will be like a box of assorted chocolates: yellow, brown, black, and white chocolates of different shapes arrayed together side by side. Each chocolate will have its own unique flavor and taste, and yet all of them will make up a box of delicious, assorted chocolates. Few people dislike chocolates. There is a theory that chocolates have the enchanting power to make us fall in love with someone. Moreover, who can resist the mesmerizing sweet fragrance when one first opens a box of assorted chocolates! We hope our society, like an open box of chocolates, can emit such diverse, yet heavenly fragrances that can make people fall in love.
Christians visualize heaven as a paradise where people of different skin colors and nationalities gather together and live forever. Strangely, however, many Christians in Korea are not free from racial prejudice, and have suspicions and hostilities against people of different skin colors and cultures, against God's wishes. In the eyes of those biased Christians, heaven will be a nightmarish hell, even though they are allowed to enter. We should realize that we are just one of the assorted chocolates in a box called the earth. All chocolates are equally unique, precious, and important.
We often hear that South Korea is rapidly becoming a multicultural country these days. At first glance this seems to be true as approximately 1.2 million foreigners currently reside in Korea, and more than 8,000 foreign brides come to Korea each year to marry Korean men. Indeed, interracial marriage between Korean men and foreign women seems to be fashionable lately. As a result, one can see half-Korean children affectionately playing with full-Korean children in the countryside, and studying together in schools.
Has Korea really become a multicultural society? The answer may be "not yet," if not "no." Unlike the United States, which is truly a multicultural and multiethnic country, Korea is only in the fledgling stages of multiculturalism. Strictly speaking, we are striving to embrace minority cultures rather than seeking to build a multicultural society in which different cultures exist equally with the same weight and importance. When we say America is a multicultural nation, we assume there is no longer a single dominant culture in American society, at least theoretically. When we say Korea is a multicultural society, however, we naturally envision a society in which the homogeneous culture of the Korean people takes center stage and minority cultures remain on the sidelines. Consequently, the term "multicultural" cannot be used to describe contemporary Korean society. Rather, foreign brides and their half-Korean children can be characterized as a "minority" within our society.
Since the United States is a country made of immigrants, it was once called "the melting pot." However, the nickname, "the melting pot," was replaced by the term, "the tossed salad," to account for the fact that the many cultures in America remain distinct, and not blended into a hybrid mush. America is indeed like "the tossed salad," comprised of a wide variety of vegetables and yet producing a harmonious taste. Others call America "the rainbow coalition," with each color of the rainbow representing the unique cultures in America that come together to achieve the supreme harmony of a rainbow.
When Barak Obama was elected president of the United States, my daughter came up with an intriguing idea. She approached me and surprised me as usual with her creative suggestion, saying: "Wouldn't "assorted chocolates" be a good metaphor for the United States, Dad?" "Well, what makes you think so?" I asked. "In a box of assorted chocolates," she said, "there are chocolates with different colors and flavors. Usually, there are brown, dark and white chocolates of different shapes in the box. Sometimes there are yellow, red and pink chocolates as well, arranged side by side. They have distinct flavors, and yet together, they make a fine box of assorted chocolates." In a box of chocolates, indeed, one can find a fine symbolism of peaceful co-existence and harmony of different skin colors, cultural heritages, and individual identities.
The same metaphor may be applied to Korean society as well. Currently, our immediate concern is how to help foreign brides and their half-Korean children assimilate into Korean society. That is to say, we are trying to absorb minority cultures into mainstream Korean culture, instead of acknowledging their cultural or ethnic identities. That is why we have a nationwide campaign to embrace foreign brides and their children as fellow Koreans, and to acculturate them into Korean society. We do not think that minority cultures can be part of Korean society. In that sense, we are trying to create a melting pot, rather than a tossed salad or a box of assorted chocolates.
In 2050, however, experts predict that one out of four or five people in Korea will have an ethnic minority background. If so, we should be prepared to build a truly multicultural, global society on the Korean peninsula. Within 40 years, Korea will be like a box of assorted chocolates: yellow, brown, black, and white chocolates of different shapes arrayed together side by side. Each chocolate will have its own unique flavor and taste, and yet all of them will make up a box of delicious, assorted chocolates. Few people dislike chocolates. There is a theory that chocolates have the enchanting power to make us fall in love with someone. Moreover, who can resist the mesmerizing sweet fragrance when one first opens a box of assorted chocolates! We hope our society, like an open box of chocolates, can emit such diverse, yet heavenly fragrances that can make people fall in love.
Christians visualize heaven as a paradise where people of different skin colors and nationalities gather together and live forever. Strangely, however, many Christians in Korea are not free from racial prejudice, and have suspicions and hostilities against people of different skin colors and cultures, against God's wishes. In the eyes of those biased Christians, heaven will be a nightmarish hell, even though they are allowed to enter. We should realize that we are just one of the assorted chocolates in a box called the earth. All chocolates are equally unique, precious, and important.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Graduation ceremony / Convocation - a memorable day
Yesterday, 26th February, 2010 was the graduation ceremony day at the Seoul National University. Two students from my lab did their Ph.D namely, Seagu Lee and Hoon san Kim. They took about 4 years to complete their Ph.D.
It was a time for joy and happiness for all of us. There is few difference in Indian graduation day and Korean. Here I would like to write few points from where we can learn some thing from each other.
In Korea, every school organizes graduation day separately and normally degree is awarded to every one by Dean of the school. However they organize almost in single day so it looks like a festival for the university. In India it is a university affair and convocation lecture is delivered by some very prominent personality like Minister of HRD or some time President of India etc.
However, I observed that due to too big events normally university does not organize regularly in contrast to India Korean Universities organize two time in a year before spring and fall classes.
So in brief Korean University opt for decentralized system of award ceremony while Indian universities still go for centralized system, hopefully they will think and change towards more robust system.
Beside all this, Korean students make 50- 150 copies of theses and they distribute among the students, professors and potential employer, this seem to be also good practice. I got two Ph.D thesis and after analysis this thesis I found both are between 100-125 pages but very concrete and to the point.
Later I will write some more....
It was a time for joy and happiness for all of us. There is few difference in Indian graduation day and Korean. Here I would like to write few points from where we can learn some thing from each other.
In Korea, every school organizes graduation day separately and normally degree is awarded to every one by Dean of the school. However they organize almost in single day so it looks like a festival for the university. In India it is a university affair and convocation lecture is delivered by some very prominent personality like Minister of HRD or some time President of India etc.
However, I observed that due to too big events normally university does not organize regularly in contrast to India Korean Universities organize two time in a year before spring and fall classes.
So in brief Korean University opt for decentralized system of award ceremony while Indian universities still go for centralized system, hopefully they will think and change towards more robust system.
Beside all this, Korean students make 50- 150 copies of theses and they distribute among the students, professors and potential employer, this seem to be also good practice. I got two Ph.D thesis and after analysis this thesis I found both are between 100-125 pages but very concrete and to the point.
Later I will write some more....
Concept Korea – Fashion Collective 2010
Source: http://blog.naver.com/korea_brand/10081592610 and for more detail
New York, London, Milano, Paris…..the mecca of the world fashion industry!
Amidst the festivities of “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week,” a world’s premier fashion event held from February 11 to 18 in New York, “Concept Korea – Fashion Collective 2010” took place from February 12 to 14 at the New York Public Library.
“Concept Korea” is an exclusive presentation featuring 6 Korean fashion designers – Andy Kim and Debbie Yoon of ANDY & DEBB, Choon Moo Park of PARKCHOONMOO, Sung Wan Hong of ROLIAT, Doii Lee of DOII PARIS, JUUN.J, and Kuho Jung of KUHO – to represent and celebrate the animated, creative and ambitious design talent currently emerging out of South Korea.
This exciting event, attended by numerous prominent figures including models and movie stars, not only showcased Korea’s fashion, but also its food, music, and other fields of art.
A lot of celebrities could be spotted at the opening party held on February 15 at the Astor Hall of the New York Public Library; actor Keanu Reeves, model Eva Mendes, soccer player Nakata Hidetosi, in addition to over 650 major figures in the art community starting with Chuck Close.
A lot of celebrities could be spotted at the opening party held on February 15 at the Astor Hall of the New York Public Library; actor Keanu Reeves, model Eva Mendes, soccer player Nakata Hidetosi, in addition to over 650 major figures in the art community starting with Chuck Close.
The event was co-hosted by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Creative Content Agency in collaboration with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). This partnership with the government is expected to give significant momentum to promoting Korean fashion, technology, and culture to the world.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Rice Chest of Wunjoru
In Kurye city,
In this house there is a rice chest that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a cylindrical chest, made from a hollowed-out log. On the underside of the chest there is a small rectangular hole (5 x 10cm), and an inscription “For anyone and everyone” carved on the stopper. Its meaning is that anyone can freely take rice from the chest.
The Yu family used the rice chest to help needy people in the area. Travellers who were passing through would also take rice from the chest. In order to protect the dignity of the people who used it, they put the chest far away from the main building so that people would not run into the owners.
The chest can hold up to two and a half sacks of rice (200 kg). When the stopper with the inscription is turned, the rice comes out through the hole at the bottom. The quantity of rice taken by each person was normally around two to four liters. People rarely took more than this, even though the owners were not there to see them.
The Wunjoru held close to twenty acres of rice paddies, which produced 200 sacks of rice every year. Since 36 of those sacks of rice went into the rice chest, the Yu family gave away almost a fifth of their total produce to people who were in need.
The owner of the household checked the contents of the rice chest each month. If there was ever any rice left over, he would always tell his daughter in law, “We have to practice the virtue of giving for our family to prosper. Give this rice to neighbors who are in need of it immediately. Make sure that there is no rice left in the chest at the end of the month.”
The Kurye area was notorious for the many peasant uprisings that took place in it towards the end of Choson period, and also for guerilla warfare during the Korean War. There is no doubt that the Wunjoru house was able to survive the tumultuous history of the region because of the benevolent spirit behind this rice chest, which had warmed the hearts of many people.
Source: Chung Hyo Ye - Tales of filial devotion, loyalty, respect and benevolence from the history and folklore of Korea
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