Project Bridge Youth Ambassadors
Project Bridge 023 Cohort at the Kim Koo Foundation
Project Bridge 2023 Cohort at the DMZ
In June of 2023, twenty-four (24) Project Bridge Youth Ambassadors became Friends of Korea (FoK) lifetime members thanks to the generous support of the Pacific Century Institute (PCI) in Los Angeles. The Project Bridge Program celebrated its 30th Anniversary this year and 96 youth ambassadors have become lifetime FoK members with PCI support since 2018.
The Program was started in 1993 as a response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots to introduce African-American urban students to Korean people, history and culture in an effort to promote greater understanding. Over the years The Korea Society (TKS) in New York, which initiated the Program and PCI, have collaborated on this youth program and have expanded the student diversity in these two urban groups as well as its reach. In fall 2019 the Program added a rural and Indigenous youth perspective and voice with the addition of students from Montana hosted by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana.
Project Bridge, whose name captures the goal of reaching across ethnic and cultural divides, aims to help young people develop insights and skills needed to “bridge” the gaps between people of divergent cultural heritages. By fostering greater intercultural awareness and understanding, it empowers the youth ambassadors to view social and cultural differences as a pathway - not a barrier - to exercise their responsibilities as emerging young leaders in an increasingly interconnected and richly diverse world while educating them on the long-standing and close relationship between the peoples of Korea and the U.S.
Annually eight (8) high school students from each location are selected through a highly competitive application process to participate in an academic year of workshops focused on Korean history, language, culture as well as intercultural competence and leadership skills and in which they explore current events, U.S. and regional relationships, and the economic factors that led to the ‘Miracle on the Han’. Additionally, they investigate race relations in the U.S., specifically the 1992 Sa-I-Gu incident, otherwise known as the Los Angeles riots, the impetus for creating the Program.
Some workshops are held virtually with all three groups participating, for example, in a simulation of the decision-making process that led to the U.S. entering the Korean War offered by the White House Decision Center at the Harry S. Truman Library; others are held in-person at each location.
The highlight of the Program is a ten-day study tour to the Republic of Korea which enables the students to experience Korea socially and culturally. During this all expenses paid ten-day tour students have abundant opportunities to engage with Korean high school students and teachers, corporate leaders, government officials, monks and many others as they travel around the country experiencing both city and rural life. In the past they have visited ministries, corporations, trade associations, museums, universities, high schools, and had overnight stays at a Buddhist temple. Throughout the tour they gain a deeper understanding of the unique and close relationship between the U.S. and Korea.
Through PCI’s sponsorship of lifetime membership, Project Bridge students have opportunities for ongoing engagement with Korea, Koreans, and Korean Americans through FoK activities. And FoK has the opportunity to welcome and integrate into its structure a younger demographic advancing our ability to sustain our mission of fostering cultural awareness, understanding and friendship between Americans and Koreans.
The Youth Ambassadors are extremely talented, articulate, interesting and enthusiastic students. With our shared interest in Korea, they will be an integral part of Friends of Korea moving forward. We are delighted to welcome them!
Updated: July 2023
The Program was started in 1993 as a response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots to introduce African-American urban students to Korean people, history and culture in an effort to promote greater understanding. Over the years The Korea Society (TKS) in New York, which initiated the Program and PCI, have collaborated on this youth program and have expanded the student diversity in these two urban groups as well as its reach. In fall 2019 the Program added a rural and Indigenous youth perspective and voice with the addition of students from Montana hosted by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana.
Project Bridge, whose name captures the goal of reaching across ethnic and cultural divides, aims to help young people develop insights and skills needed to “bridge” the gaps between people of divergent cultural heritages. By fostering greater intercultural awareness and understanding, it empowers the youth ambassadors to view social and cultural differences as a pathway - not a barrier - to exercise their responsibilities as emerging young leaders in an increasingly interconnected and richly diverse world while educating them on the long-standing and close relationship between the peoples of Korea and the U.S.
Annually eight (8) high school students from each location are selected through a highly competitive application process to participate in an academic year of workshops focused on Korean history, language, culture as well as intercultural competence and leadership skills and in which they explore current events, U.S. and regional relationships, and the economic factors that led to the ‘Miracle on the Han’. Additionally, they investigate race relations in the U.S., specifically the 1992 Sa-I-Gu incident, otherwise known as the Los Angeles riots, the impetus for creating the Program.
Some workshops are held virtually with all three groups participating, for example, in a simulation of the decision-making process that led to the U.S. entering the Korean War offered by the White House Decision Center at the Harry S. Truman Library; others are held in-person at each location.
The highlight of the Program is a ten-day study tour to the Republic of Korea which enables the students to experience Korea socially and culturally. During this all expenses paid ten-day tour students have abundant opportunities to engage with Korean high school students and teachers, corporate leaders, government officials, monks and many others as they travel around the country experiencing both city and rural life. In the past they have visited ministries, corporations, trade associations, museums, universities, high schools, and had overnight stays at a Buddhist temple. Throughout the tour they gain a deeper understanding of the unique and close relationship between the U.S. and Korea.
Through PCI’s sponsorship of lifetime membership, Project Bridge students have opportunities for ongoing engagement with Korea, Koreans, and Korean Americans through FoK activities. And FoK has the opportunity to welcome and integrate into its structure a younger demographic advancing our ability to sustain our mission of fostering cultural awareness, understanding and friendship between Americans and Koreans.
The Youth Ambassadors are extremely talented, articulate, interesting and enthusiastic students. With our shared interest in Korea, they will be an integral part of Friends of Korea moving forward. We are delighted to welcome them!
Updated: July 2023
Project Bridge 2023 Study Tour
