Financial stability funds provided to 41 families, including international students, as well as household goods deliveries to 1,400 multicultural or marginalized families nationwide

Ahead of Lunar New Year, WeLoveU members became busier, as they continued their efforts to create a joyful world with the heart of a mother, ensuring no one is left behind. The Intl. WeLoveU Foundation conducted the “Happy Lunar New Year Holidays Together With Global Family 2024” event from January 31 to February 8, delivering household goods packages to 1,400 multicultural families, the elderly living alone, single-parent families, grandfamilies, and vulnerable households through 57 local governments nationwide.

On February 7, the “Happy Lunar New Year Holidays Together With Global Family 2024” event took place at the WeLoveU Education Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea. This event was organized to celebrate the Lunar New Year by inviting multicultural families, international students, and foreigners residing in Korea. The aim of the event was to alleviate feelings of loneliness among those living abroad and to offer them opportunities to experience a sense of belonging and camaraderie as integral members of our society.

For this event, approximately 200 people were present, including 92 beneficiaries from 23 countries as well as WeLoveU members who organized and volunteered for the event. Among the attendees were WeLoveU Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah, Board Chairman Lee Kang-min, and other directors, as well as diplomatic envoys in the Republic of Korea such as Ambassador H.E. Songkane Luangmuninthone of Laos, Ambassador H.E. Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle of Honduras, and Charge d’Affaires Oyunbaatar Jagdag of Mongolia. Also Yi Bae-keun, the President of Korea Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

“How difficult and lonely it must have been to come to a distant foreign land, build a new home, and adapt to a new society. Longing for your family and loved ones back home, yet finding to challenging to visit them easily, you have endured the pain of solitude. Today, may you have a happy and joyful time, transcending the barriers of language, culture, and environment, as if you were back in your hometowns. Let’s go together. We love you. Thank you.”

Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah, in her opening remarks, extended a warm welcome to the global family gathered, expressing sympathy for their circumstances and providing comfort and encouragement. The Ambassadors of Honduras and Laos, and the Charge d’Affaires of Mongolia, who delivered speeches, expressed gratitude for the support of their compatriot students studying in Korea and for assistance to multicultural families. They conveyed their hope for ongoing collaboration with WeLoveU in fostering hope and courage within the global family, and in envisioning a brighter future.

The “Happy Lunar New Year Holidays Together With Global Family 2024” was a festive occasion arranged in the sequence of holiday gift donations, tasting holiday foods, and experiencing traditional culture, filled with the richness and joy of Korean traditional holidays. In addition to the gift packages provided to the invitees, living stability support funds were donated to 41 foreign families, including international students in Korea and those in urgent need of assistance. The global families enjoyed a variety of Korean diverse foods such as tteokguk (rice cake soup), japchae (stir-fried noodles), bulgogi (marinated beef), gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), sanjeok (skewered meat), tteok (rice cakes), sikhye (sweet rice drink), and kimchi. As they savored these dishes, they recalled the foods their mothers used to prepare back home during the holidays, sharing hearty laughter. After the meal, at the traditional cultural experience venue, participants enjoyed a variety of experiences with the assistance of domestic university student members. They tried on hanbok (traditional korean clothing) and engaged in various activities such as pounding steamed sticky rice to make rice cake, jegichagi, traditional board game yutnori, making hangeul identity tags, and making dalgona candy, having delightful moments together.

“This is my first time to celebrate a Korean holiday with Koreans. On top of that, with so many people from various countries! It is truly heartwarming and joyous. Providing us, international students, with the opportunity to experience Korean culture made it even better.” (An Iraqi student)

“Listening to the Chairwoman’s speech, I was deeply moved, feeling like I was about to cry as she empathized with the challenges of living away from one’s homeland. The WeLoveU event feels genuine. It gives me the feeling of being taken care of by a real mother, like a mother caring for her children.” (A Japanese immigrant woman)

“At today’s event, I saw the global community members having gathered here. In my country, Honduras, too, there is a Korean community, and they face many challenges as immigrants. Today, seeing you working together for immigrants, my heart was warmed. It was good to gather information about Hondurans in Korea who need assistance, through this event.” (Ambassador of Honduras to Korea)

This event touched the hearts of many, including a mother who came from a foreign country to care for her son who fell unconscious due to an unexpected injury at a sports competition; an international student who lived alone, focusing solely on academics even during the holidays; an immigrant woman who struggled with cultural differences after marrying in Korea; and foreign compatriots who exerted great effort to settle in Korea, the land of their ancestors. Some of the invitees expressed their desire to participate in WeLoveU welfare activities for neighbors and all humanity, hoping for future reunions. Interest, empathy, understanding, and communication are emerging as crucial elements for creating a future where loneliness is alleviated and everyone can find happiness.