20100202 - press release a4 en

IKAA Gathering 20
Korean Adoptees to Gather in Korea to Promote Understanding and Dialogue with Korean Society
SEOUL, Korea - The International Korean Adoptee Associations (IKAA) Network will host the IKAA Gathering, the third of its kind, scheduled to take place from August 3rd to August 8th 2010 at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, Korea.
The IKAA Gathering is held only once every three years in Seoul, Korea and continues to gain momentum and significance as the most internationally inclusive and largest Korean adoptee conference in the world. With each Gathering in Seoul, the attendance garnered has grown at an impressive rate, from over 400 participants representing over 15 countries in 2004, to over 650 participants from over 20 countries in 2007. The IKAA Gathering 2010 is expected to continue this tradition of development and maturity, anticipating the participation of over 800 adult adoptees, far surpassing the attendance of each earlier Gathering.
In addition to cultivating community among adoptees, the IKAA Gathering 2010 will differ in its efforts to promote dialogue and a greater understanding between the global Korean adult adoptee community and Korean society. This Gathering will encourage cultural exchanges that provide both communities with the opportunity to forge international relationships and become active participants in Korea’s globalization project by offering programming that includes “membership training” and team-building activities, as well as a business seminar and professional networking events with Korean delegates.
Additional new programming at the IKAA Gathering 2010 will feature a mini-film festival, which will also be open to a Korean audience, and an “Adoptee Amazing Race,” a series of activities specifically tailored to adoptees returning to Korea for the first time. The Gathering will once again host the highly successful Korean Adoptee World Cup soccer match, a comprehensive range of workshops, forums, and presentations, an ArtGathering, and the Second International Symposium on Korean Adoption Studies (SISKAS), where scholars from around the world will present their research.
The opening ceremonies for the IKAA Gathering 2010 are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 3, 2010 at the Lotte Hotel and are expected to draw the attention of Korean government officials and attendance by representatives from our sponsors.
Formally established in 2004, IKAA is the largest existing network of international Korean adoptees, reaching out to thousands worldwide. Common for all IKAA associations is that they have demonstrated long-term stability, their organizational structure and membership are comprised overwhelmingly of adult adoptees, they have a long history and experience working with adoptees, and they organize activities and events for their members on a regular basis.
International Korean Adoptee Associations (IKAA)
IKAA was established to better serve the Korean adoptee community, create a strong communication forum, build global relationships and provide a location where Korean adoptees can turn when in need of a resource.
The mission of the IKAA Network is to enrich the global adoption community, promote the sharing of information and resources between adult adoptee associations, strengthen cross-cultural relations and innovate post-adoption services for the broader international adoptee community.
IKAA Network Organizations
Adopted Koreans’ Association (Sweden) | Arierang (The Netherlands) | Korea Klubben (Denmark)Racines Coréennes (France) | AK Connection (Minnesota, USA) | Also-Known-As, Inc. (New York, USA)Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (Washington, USA) IKAA Gathering 2010 Supporting Organizations
Korean Adoptees of Hawai’i (Hawai’i, USA) | Asian Adult Adoptees of British Columbia (Canada)Boston Korean Adoptees (Massachusetts, USA) | Forum for Korean Adoptees (Norway)Korean Adoptees of Chicago (Illinois, USA) For further information, please contact: Mrs. Kim Holm, Press Coordinator (Korean)USA Mobile: +1 206 795 4402, Korea Mobile: +82 10 8388 3134, Email: Ms. Kim Verhaaf, Press Coordinator (English/Dutch)Europe Mobile: +31 6 4

Source: http://aiae.lu/pdf/ikaa-gathering-2010.pdf