Spreading the meaning of Changemakers and SDGs
Hosted by the Hanyang University Volunteer Corps and the Hanyang University Leaders in Industry-university Cooperation (LINC), the 4th festival took on a new stance from the previous events. As direct witnessing is an effective method of promotion, the organizers for the festival set out their main stage around the Lion Statue Square, where the whole festival site could be spotted at a glance. This was a great choice, as substantive participation increased as a result of its accessibility.
The Seventeen Hearts Festival is a festival celebrating the achievements of social innovation activities at Hanyang University. ‘Seventeen’ refers to the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) adopted by the UN. It is the festival of changemakers, who strive to make a better world by creating meaningful change. Booths for exhibition and various activities were open to Hanyang University students, faculty, diverse partner institutions, and events, such as the social innovation academic conference and the social venture startup competition that were held.
This year’s festival was held with the theme, “Hanyang ChangeMakers: You are the Change Maker.” After a thorough deliberation on how students can enjoy their experience while becoming familiar with the concepts of changemaker and SDGs, many fun experiment booths were prepared. Among them, the SDGs activities contest exhibit was at the heart of attention. Students designed simple and enjoyable games that allowed anyone to easily learn about the sustainable development goals. Four winning teams operated the game booths during the three days of the festival. Also, Ashoka, Korea’s ‘Time to open the future’ forum, and the 2019 social venture contest from the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency colored the campus with the colors of social innovation.
The 4th Seventeen Hearts Festival put an emphasis on expanding the base of changemakers. The preliminary campaigns that went on for 10 days before the festival improved the general understanding of SDGs and the Seventeen Hearts Festival. For more information on preliminary campaigns, experimental booths near the Lion Statue Square, or linked education programs, click here.
To win in a giveaway event, participants had to engage in a sticker rally in which they received an SDGs sticker related to the booth activity. The prizes for the giveaway included products from Patagonia, Marymond, and The Soap Farm, which are all companies striving to realize social values.
The students majoring in social innovation helped realize the 2019 Seventeen Hearts Festival by giving a hand as part of the festival planning or public relations team. Although the majors in social innovation participated last year in the booth operation as well, it was the first time that they were engaged with an official title from the beginning stage of planning for the festival.
Hanyang University was the first in the nation to establish a Volunteer Corps in 1994. The Social Innovation Center was established in 2017 as an affiliated branch of the Volunteer Corps to change the paradigm of social services to social innovation.
“We wanted to convey the idea that social innovation and SDGs are not something grand or serious, but that everyone can easily access these ideas and have fun with it,” said Yoo Jeong-yoon, the individual in charge of the Seventeen Hearts Festival this year. The Social Innovation Center is open to students who want to lead a positive change in society, she said. “We are always waiting for Hanyangians with original ideas and burning passions. Please visit us at the Social Innovation Center!”
Kim Hyun-soo soosoupkimmy@hanyang.ac.kr
Photos by Lee Hyeon-seon