MaD 2014 : SeoYoung YEA-Personal Statement.

On March 2013, an article was posted on the main page of one of the biggest portal site in Korea named Daum. That article was my article. I tried to write it for practice. I didn't expect this to happen. The contents of the article was about an event for a nuclear free world. Since the Fukushima Accident of March 2011 I have learned about energy that we are using. At first, I thought "energy? electricity? it just comes from sockets." I did not know much about energy.

However I started to learn why the Fukushima nuclear power plant broke down and the risks of nuclear power plants. I realized nuclear power is not safe. Land and the ocean can be polluted because of just one accident of nuclear power. I think radioactivity is so horrible. It is a very important problem in South Korea. In Korea, there are many corruption scandals related to nuclear power plant. Nuclear power and power systems problem have caused an uproar in Korea. We have been troubled with this matter every year.

I think these things have to change. I have agonized about what we can do for this matter with other young people at Haja Production School. Those who can play instruments have performed in nuclear free energy events and we prepared an event called 'Earth hour'. We tried to let all the people know about energy problems and what can we do.

Carrying out these actions together, we have found a way how to make change in our world. Recently, I presented my story, from the perspective of a teenager, about energy at the 2013 haja creativity summit, korea.

I attended in MaD 2013. I heard stories that surprised to me. Thomas Heatherwick, who designed the Olympic Flame and redesigned double-deckes, gave a talk to us. His talk inspired me and gave me ideas about design. It was a great opportunity for me because I am in the Design team of my school and I am learning design.

Another surprising story was about Hankyoreh. People who wanted a different newspaper, came together to support a civilian led newspaper. Their efforts resulted in the Hankyoreh newspaper. Even though I am Korean and even though my mother subscribed to Hankyoreh at home, I did not know the history of Hankyoreh newspaper MaD 2013. The thing that impressesed me was Ordinary people bringing their power together to establish a newspaper. Through that session, I realized that when Ordinary people gathered, something new can be made. I think, due to Ordinary people who want creativity, Hankyorea was able to be sustainable and and expand.

I want to go to MaD 2014 again and I want to listen to the speech of other changemakers about Change. I am curious how the speech of MaD2014 will affect me and how MaD2014 influence my thoughts about change.

When I presented my story about energy at the Creativity Summit I was shaking with fear but on the other hand, I was so excited. I could share my story with other people through my presentation and I could listen to the presentations of other people who have their own experience. I was able to think more about what I am learning in school through my experience at the Summit and I also got new ideas. MaD2014 is a bigger conference then the Haja Creativity Summit. In MaD, there are interesting changemakers and various participants. I am already excited imagining MaD 2014, the experience of meeting, sharing and changing with 1500 participants.... I think it should be a good experience to me.

We live in an era of change and chaos. It is time to create change and I think it will be possible to create that change with the passionate participants of MaD as well as people like me who have continuously learned about energy. This time to do to make changes with youths who have passion of change. come to MaD and Me who have learnd about enerey and have done something for changing.

So I want to share my story and listen to other people at MaD 2014. I hope you will accept my application and support me in the sum of USD 430 which will cover my travel costs. Thank you.