Flyer to the Sub-regional Symposium
DATE: April 28, 2010 (Wed) 10:00 ~ 17:00
Location: Seoul, Republic of Korea
Venue: International Conference Hall, Gwangbok Hall, Yonsei University Sinchon Campus
Theme: Refugee Protection in East Asia and the Role of Civil Society
BackgroundRecently, there have been some positive developments in the asylum field in the Asia Pacific Region. In 2008, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) was formed which comprises a network of civil society organizations and individuals committed to advancing the rights of refugees in this region. Also, East Asia Working Group was formed within APRRN led by NGOs from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. East Asia has potential to lead the positive development in the refugee field in the Asia Pacific Region. Japan and Korea are amongst few signatory countries to the Refugee Convention and although it is not a state-party of the Convention yet, Hong Kong has an alternative system to provide partial protection to refugees. East Asian countries have been passive or rather reluctant to receive refugees and their refugee protection system still lags behind the international standard. However, as the most affluent and democratized part of this world, East Asia has both capacity and responsibility to establish a better refugee protection system and to support other countries in Asia to follow the suit. To further promote the cooperation among the stakeholders in East Asia, the Refuge Pnan and Japan Association for Refugees will organize an international symposium in Seoul aiming at sharing the challenges and best practices in refugee protection and inducing the policy changes in East Asian countries. Also, it will be a good opportunity for NGOs and Individuals in this field to set up specific action plans and joint strategy to call for favorable refugee policies in each country.
Co-organized by:
The Refugee Pnan, Japan Association for Refugees,
& Institute of Legal Studies, Yonsei University
Sponsored by:
Toyota Foundation Asian Neighbors Network Program
PROGRAM (English/Korean Simultaneous Interpretation Provided)
(Morning Session) 10:00 – 12:00
10:00 – 10:20
Opening Remarks
Kwang Seok Cheon (Director, The Institute of Legal Studies, Yonsei University)
10:30 – 12:00
Keynote Speech
UNHCR
Refugee Protection in East Asia – Challenges and Opportunities
Hotaeg Lee (President, The Refuge Pnan)
Refugee Protection in Korea
Alice Nah (Chairperson, Asian Pacific Refugee Rights Network)
Emerging Regional Network of Refugee Organizations in Asia
(Lunch Break) 12:00 – 13:00
(Afternoon Session) 13:00 – 17:00
13:00 – 14:45
Panel Discussion I – Refugee Determination Procedure and Role of Civil Society in East Asia
Moderator – Chulwoo Lee, Professor of Law, Yonsei University
(Panel)
Korea – Pillkyu Hwang (Lawyer, Korean Public Interest Lawyers’ Group, Gong-Gam)
Civil Society Initiative towards a New Refugee Act
Japan – TBA
Legal Aid for Asylum Seekers and Refugee Adjudication Counsellors System
Hong Kong – Brian Barbour (Executive Officer, Hong Kong Refugee Advice Center)
Interpreter Training and Refugee Legal Clinic
Grant Mitchell (Director, International Detention Coalition)
Detention of Asylum Seekers and Possibility of Alternatives to Detention in East Asia
(Break) 14:45 – 15:00
15:00 – 16:45
Panel Discussion II – Refugee Integration and Capacity Building in East Asia
Moderator – Jongchul Kim(Lawyer, Lawfirm Somyung)
(Panel)
Australia – Paris Aristotle (Director, Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma)
Korea – Won Geun Choi (Program Manager, NANCEN)
Hong Kong – Adrielle M Panares (International Social Service)
Japan – Soo Jin Hyung (Program Officer, JAR)
16:45 – 17:00
Closing Remarks
Hwang Woo-yeo (Parliamentarian, Republic of Korea; Chairperson, Human Rights Forum in the National Assembly)
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