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Sunfull Foundation hosts multicultural inclusivity 'K-Respect' campaign in the Philippines

Published: 19 Dec. 2024, 18:21 Updated: 19 Dec. 2024, 18:58

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Attendees of the Sunfull Foundation's K-Respect campaign, including Min Byoung-chul, founder of the nonprofit Sunfull Foundation, fourth from left, Antonio Tamayo, member of the board of directors at the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, far right, and Marissa Magsino, OFW Party List representative, fifth from left, hold banners to respect foreigners at the University of Perpetual Help in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 27. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

Min Byoung-chul, founder of the nonprofit Sunfull Foundation, stressed the importance of mutual understanding and respect for multicultural communities during his visit to the Philippines last month.

Min hosted the K-Respect campaign, also known as the Respect for All Cultures campaign, at the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 27.

“Many Filipinos live in Korea, and there are also many Koreans living in the Philippines,” Min said in a press release, adding that the campaign is a global movement to “replace prejudice and discrimination with respect.”

“I am confident that this campaign will contribute to fostering a culture of understanding and respect among people from different cultural backgrounds in our multicultural society.”

The K-Respect campaign, which launched in Korea in March last year, aims to raise awareness and encourage respect, inspiring more people to embrace diverse cultures, “ultimately reducing social conflicts across cultures,” according to the Sunfull Foundation.

Antonio Tamayo, a member of the university’s board of directors, noted that the campaign aligns with the school’s “mission to foster a culture of inclusion and respect.”

“Through initiatives like K-Respect, we aim to inspire students and communities to embrace diversity and lead by example in creating a more harmonious society,” Tamayo said.

Marissa Magsino, congresswoman of the Philippines’ OFW Party List, also attended the event, highlighting the initiative’s “significant contributions to multicultural families and workers globally.”

“As a co-chair of the K-Respect campaign and the ambassador of the Sunfull Foundation, it is a privilege for the OFW Party List to support this initiative, which reinforces the principles of empathy, respect and cooperation both within the Philippines and beyond,” she said.

The congresswoman had previously introduced a bill in the Philippines House of Representatives to declare May 27 as K-Respect Day in her country, highlighting the importance of promoting respect, empathy and unity among cultures while combating online hate speech and cyberbullying.

The K-Respect campaign aligns with the Sunfull Foundation’s philosophy of respect, which has been its cornerstone since its establishment in 2007. The nonprofit foundation began with the launch of the Sunfull Movement, which encourages people to replace malicious online comments with positive ones.

Students, volunteers and other people who participated in the Sunfull Foundation's K-Respect campaign, including Min Byoung-chul, founder of the nonprofit foundation, center third from right, hold banners urging to respect foreigners at an award ceremony held at the Chung-Ang University in southern Seoul earlier this month. The ceremony reviewed the foundation’s activities to encourage respect for multicultural families and foreigners in Korea, eliminate discrimination and malicious comments and educate youths. It presented ministerial awards to supporters of the foundation’s campaigns, including elementary, middle school, high school and university students, teachers, media personnel and other societal leaders. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]