SNU College Engineering Hosts the 2018 Traditional Culture Sharing of Autumn for Foreign Transfer Students
- Build Memories and Experience Korean Culture at Rainwater Garden


▲ Group Photo of 2018 Traditional Culture Sharing of Autumn at Building 35 with Foreign Transfer Students and Gwanak Local Community

 
On last 6^th, SNU College of Engineering (Dean Cha Kook-Heon) has hosted the 2018 Traditional Culture Sharing of Autumn at Building 35’s rooftop rainwater garden bringing together foreign transfer students at SNU and the local Gwanak community.
 
This event has been hosted by Professor Han Moo Young of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Gwanak Urban Agriculture Network (President Yeo Yongok) with the sponsor of the Institute for Global Social Responsibility (IGSR). Its purpose is to provide a platform for local residents, faculty and students to build memories while working together at the cultivated fields of the rainwater garden.
 
The participants of this event include 30 transfer students (from Vietnam, Poland, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Jordan, etc.), 20 SNU faculty, professors and students, and 20 local residents. Together, the participants have experienced the Korean traditional culture through activities like stuffing rice cakes (“songpyeon”), tasting traditional food, playing folk games, etc.
 
Bui Thi Thuy (30, Doctor’s Course) from Vietnam comments, “Participating in the Traditional Culture Sharing of Autumn has given me a chance to experience Korea’s traditions. Traditional Play Experience is an activity that was enjoyed by everyone regardless of gender.”
 
파잉민모(24, Master’s Course) from Myanmar states, “It has been my delight to spend my first year in Korea with friends from all over the world. Making and eating the songpyeon, the Korean traditional rice cake, was my highlight of this event.”
 
Malwina (26, Master’s Course) from Poland adds, “We showed off the songpyeon we each made to one another. I sincerely am thankful for such a meaningful day.”
 
Meanwhile, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has opened its abandoned rooftop to the local community and its students after implementing a concave rain garden. Through harvesting crops together, the university and the local community can strengthen their bonding. Hence, the rainwater garden has been called a friendly space that tightens the local and school community.
 
Professor Han Moo Young who has designed the garden explains, “The concave rooftop rainwater garden reduces the electric fees of the top floor, minimizes the heat island effect of the building, and prevents flooding by instantaneously storing the rainwater. Compared to the plants raised by conventional garden that relies on tap water, crops growing on the rainwater garden are much sturdier.”
 
Professor Han also states, “Rooftop rain garden not only saves energy and water, but also revitalizes the local community to transform it into a setting to carry out social responsibility.” He requests, “We call for everyone’s attention and support to turn the roofs of buildings under government possession, community service centers, libraries and schools into concave rain gardens.