Overcoming the pain of civil war – World Camp (Ivory Coast) News (August 13, 2012)

On the 29th of July, at 7:00 P.M, the 3rd Ivory Coast World Camp Opening Ceremony was held in a fully packed 1650 seat public theatre of IVOIRE Hotel which is situated in the capital city of Abidjan.

The purpose of the World Camp was to teach and lead the world of the heart which can be a solution to the conflicts that have not been solved after the civil war’s demise, and many people helped in order for it to be held in the best hotel in Abidjan, IVOIRE Hotel.

While discussing the World Camp venue we visited IVOIRE Hotel but were unable to rent the venue due to the high rent and so we decided to rent last year’s venue in advance, but prior to the camp our booking was canceled and so we faced a problem. However through the unimaginable help by the city and the President’s Office we were able to obtain donations that paid for more than two thirds of the $30,000 daily rental fee. In addition, we approached the Minister of Education and while we presented the aim and objective of the World Camp the Minister said, “I believe that this is similar to what the President wishes to do. I will help you,” and helped us to use an entire high school for student accommodation and to use as a venue for free.

At seven in the evening, the Opening Ceremony for the Ivory Coast World Camp began with a dance by the Ivory Coast Righteous Stars. The Ulsan Lincoln High School Students travelled for 11 hours from Togo by land and were unable to rest from the exhaustion of the travel, but nevertheless performed a Tae Kwon Do dance, a Russian cultural performance called Kalinka and a Fan dance with bright smiles which caused participants to give great shouts of joy and applause.

After the opening speech by the Minister of Youth Alain Lobognon, who attended the Ministers’ Forum in Korea last year, there was a congratulatory speech by the Minister of Education Kanoia Camara.

The Gracias Choir followed after, and led the hearts of people as if they were stealing by singing with their hearts. For the encore performance, Park Jin Young’s Je Leve Les yeux yes and Hae Mi Choi and Julio’s duet performance Je suis dans la joie were sung, and the glorious passion of the people of Ivory Coast could be felt.

During the Mind Lecture Pastor Ock Soo Park said, “There is misery in the world. Hearts are closed between spouses and between parents and children. People need blood to flow in their entire body to live. The heart was also created to flow. When people have the same heart they begin to trust each other and as they share their hearts they begin to know the person’s taste. People hate others and close their hearts as they live because they do not know other peoples’ tastes. Many problems in this world are caused by closing one’s heart. From now on open your heart to your friend, neighbor, father and teacher and speak about your heart. Also, listen to your friends speak about their heart. Your heart which has been asleep for a long time will wake up and begin to work. There is nothing better than sharing your heart with another person.” The participants who encountered the world of the heart for the first time sincerely absorbed the word like sponges.

Although the civil war has ended, the conflicts that have surrounded Ivory Coast for a long time do not appear to be solved easily. The current President and the former President have represented the Muslim citizens in the North and the Catholic citizens in the South. During the last national election the former President took 46% of the votes and so another internal conflict is possible. The former President has even brought in the French Army who colonized them and thus has complicated conflicts between the North and South, religions and citizens.

The civil war in Ivory Coast ended in 2011 however rebels can still be found and the scars caused by the civil war have left people with incurable pain in their hearts. Throughout the remainder of the World Camp we hope that the world of the heart will be preached to people, and just as blood must flow in our entire body for us to live, we hope that their hearts will flow and that they will live a life of sharing hearts and believing in each other.