Korean Dream Study Series
Global Peace Women (GPW), a partner of the Global Peace Foundation, hosted the fifth session of the Korean Dream Study Series under the theme “Realizing the Dream,” marking a timely reflection on the ongoing journey toward peace and unification. The session coincided with the commemoration of 80 years of Korea’s liberation, offering participants a moment to celebrate progress while acknowledging the work still ahead to achieve unity on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
The centerpiece of the discussion was the Korean Dream Hangang Festa 2025, a milestone event that captured the essence of the Korean Dream in action. More than a cultural celebration, the festival embodied the vision of unity and shared prosperity, with the Han River, a longtime symbol of Korea’s resilience and transformation, serving as the backdrop. The event included the striking “One Dream, One Drone” campaign, in which individuals contributed to a collective light show over the Han River. Each drone represented personal ownership of the dream, reinforcing the message that reunification and peace are people-driven movements.
In her keynote remarks, Hanako Ikeno, President of Global Peace Women, drew a moving connection between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech and the Korean Dream articulated by Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon. Just as King’s words stirred millions to embrace a vision of justice and equality, the Korean Dream resonates in the hearts of people who long for unity, peace, and prosperity. She emphasized that the Korean Dream transcends borders, rooted in the ancient ethos of Hongik Ingan, to live for the benefit of all humanity. She noted that when families and communities adopt this vision as their own, it has the power to shape history and transform nations.
The session also revisited the history of the Korean Dream movement. From its introduction in 2011 and the founding of Action for Korea United (AKU), to the publication of the book The Korean Dream in 2014 and the cultural concerts and campaigns that followed, the vision has steadily grown in scope and participation. The Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign now represents the next chapter, demonstrating how a dream that began with a small group has expanded into a global movement.
Personal testimonies added depth to the session. One participant described visiting the War Memorial of Korea and being profoundly moved by the stories of division, sacrifice, and resilience. The experience, she said, mirrored her own nation’s struggles for independence, reminding her that pain, loss, and hope are shared elements of the human story. At the Han River Festa, she witnessed how strangers became family under a shared vision, as the night sky lit up with messages of unity and determination.
Learning Circle 5 highlighted that the Korean Dream is about cultivating a global ethic of unity and peace. As Korea marks 80 years since liberation, the study series provided a platform to reflect on how far the vision has come, and how collective ownership of the dream can ensure its realization.
The anniversary of Korea’s liberation was a call from history to the present generation. Just as Korea once rose from devastation to create the “Miracle on the Han,” participants affirmed with conviction that the next miracle will be the miracle of reunification. And when that day comes, it will not belong to Korea alone; it will be the world’s story of hope fulfilled, of families restored, of humanity choosing unity over division. The Korean Dream speaks to this deeper longing: that peace is first planted in the home, grows strong within families, and from there radiates outward to heal nations and inspire the world.
Revisit the 2025 Korean Dream Hangang Festa.
