Acceptance Speech, Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy By George Katsiaficas for the 2016 Kim Dae Jung Scholar’s Prize for Democracy, Peace, and Human Rights, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea, June 8, 2016, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong.
“Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy” – By George Katsiaficas
We reproduce below and excerpt from his acceptance speech;
“…In this world, money rules, and scholarly endeavors are seldom recognized, let alone rewarded. My everyday experiences at CNU have been continual sources of surprise, happily so, and this award is part of that pattern. I recall another such incident that I would like to share with you. Some years ago, a German colleague was invited to Gwangju for the annual 518 Institute conference. As I showed him around campus, we happened upon the statue of 최ìƒì±„ ì´ìž¥, Choi Sang-jae, the first president of CNU. My colleague laughed heartily as soon as he saw the statue of a man holding a book and wearing a modern western suit. So accustomed was he to see statues of men on horses with military regalia and weapons, that to him, the sight of a man with a book was a funny and exotic sight. I immediately challenged his laughter, and he quickly agreed that the portrayal of a scholar was a much better sight that any glorification of war. I am proud to consider myself a scholar from CNU.”
