North Korea Hungry For Knowledge, Education Says Foundation
Bernama
May 10, 2016

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v8/wn/newsworld.php?id=1243773

BEIJING, May 9 (Bernama) -- Students and scientists in North Korea are hungry for knowledge, education and international output, says the Vienna-based International Peace Foundation (IPF).

IPF's advisory board chairman, Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, said that enhancing education and science among the young generation in North Korea, was a basis for peace and development.

"We want to give the young generation in North Korea a voice, a voice seldom heard of and listened to, a voice that could provide hope for peaceful changes, an opportunity not to be missed, because we change nothing by not engaging," he said at a press conference.

The press conference was held in conjunction with the visit of Nobel Laureates from Norway, Israel, and the United Kingdom to North Korea in support of education and peaceful changes, from May 2-6.

IPF, with its Asian office in Bangkok and Korean National Peace Committee also jointly facilitated a series of "Bridges-Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace" in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, Kim II Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology and Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

The inaugural event held in Pyongyang could become a regular and yearly programme aimed at inspiring the young generation and strengthened international understanding by building long-term bridges between Nobel Laureates and universities in North Korea.

Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, hoped that such efforts would be a gateway of opening up and establishing dialogues, which could contribute to wider understanding, beyond politics.

He said that the visit was mainly focused on medical development and economic policies, adding that the North Koreans met during the visit expressed willingness to communicate with the outside world.

Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, Prof Aaron Ciechanover, said that the inability to freely access the Internet and the US sanctions on North Korea, were limiting works and researches of scientists in that country.

"Science and technology is an indication of main efforts for change in North Korea," he added.