SEOUL, 10 May 2016 - The Philippine Embassy lent its support recently for the opening of a center providing educational and employment support for migrant adolescents, including Filipinos, with material contributions from the private, public and industrial sectors for the first time in Korea.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez attended on 10 May 2016 the opening ceremony for the Global Youth Dream Center, led by Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young, together with Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kang Eun-hee, and 200 members of multicultural families in Hwaseo-dong in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, 1 hour south of Seoul. With a gross floor area of 1,428 sqm, the five-floor center was built based on the design created by volunteer architects from the private sector on a plot of land donated by the Suwon City Government, using funds of KRW2.8 billion donated by Samsung Electro-Mechanics. "The number of foreign residents in our community reached 55,000 this year, which is an 18.5 percent increase from last year," Mayor Yeom said in his welcome speech, calling the growth "remarkable". He added: "It is a miracle that a center for migrant adolescents, who in particular face many difficulties, was established with assistance and contributions from many individuals." "I am happy to see local government, business and the church join hands here in Suwon to show their full support to the youth as they aspire to pursue personal development, contribute to the community and serve the larger population," said Ambassador Hernandez in congratulatory remarks. Hello! SEM Orchestra, sponsored by Samsung Electro-Mechanics, performed at the pre-ceremony event, and facility rounding and reception took place after the opening ceremony. The Global Youth Dream Center has its exterior decorated with shapes and colors that symbolize multiculturalism. Managed by Father Choi Byeong-jo its director, the center contains a vocational skills development office, case management office and alternative school lecture hall for capacity building purposes. There is also a book cafe, community hall, library and outdoor rest area, which will serve as "communication spaces" as they will be open to both the migrant adolescents and local residents. The center will be offering a high school equivalency test class, together with the "Geuruteogi" volunteer team formed by Samsung Electronics researchers, for migrant adolescents and local residents who either cannot provide evidence of their academic background or dropped out of school for personal reasons.