HWPL’s ‘Discussion on Freedom of Speech’ webinar sparks a cross cultural dialogue

Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light, an international peace NGO, hosted a webinar titled “Discussion on Freedom of Speech.”

The event brought together approximately 15 students and journalists from the Pacific Islands, including Fiji and Solomon Islands, alongside participants from South Korea.

Mavis May Gaunavou, a producer and presenter for Fiji TV, said, “The media in Fiji was oppressed for 16 years under a dictatorship, but the current Fijian government has promised freedom of expression for media outlets and active communication with the government. However, many journalists are still not able to fully enjoy freedom of expression because they are accustomed to the old practices.”

She said that the suppression of freedom of speech in Fiji has made it difficult to report critically on government corruption and human rights abuses, which has been a barrier to social development. She expressed concern that if the media is controlled by the government, the people’s right to know is able to be violated and democratic social development can be hindered. She said that freedom of speech for the media, as well as the autonomy and responsibility of journalists, are also important for desirable national development.

Serena Kwon, a student at University of Seoul in South Korea, pointed out that freedom of speech has both positive and negative aspects. She said that freedom of speech for the media guarantees the people’s right to know, but in Korea, sometimes it has been abused, leading to secondary damage cases such as excessive anonymity protection and invasion of privacy. She said, “Freedom of speech without tolerance and consideration is like violence.” She said that considerate culture is needed to avoid infringing on the rights of others when exercising freedom of speech.

Nox Drauna, founder and director of ARUKA Fiji, shared about the importance of youth expressing their thoughts and feelings freely. He said that young people who do not have the opportunity to express their sadness, pain, etc. may be exposed to mental health problems such as depression and suicide.

He said, “ARUKA Fiji has set up a hotline to help young people and their family who have lost their loved ones or friends and to allow them to express their pain freely and ask for help.” He emphasized that education and support are also needed to create an atmosphere where children and young people can express their feelings and thoughts freely.

“This webinar was meaningful in that it provided an opportunity to think about the important topic, freedom of speech, from various perspectives,” said Suhn Park, general director of the Department of International Law of HWPL. She explained the background of holding the event, saying, “We held this webinar to increase the accessibility to human rights, which can be a somewhat difficult and heavy topic, and to raise voluntary interest and participation of youth. We plan to continue to hold webinars on human rights-related issues that are of interest to students and youth on a quarterly basis.” (PR)