Background

Around the world, hatred and fear of refugees often begin with an image of “the refugee” that people have never met in person. Meetings in which people see each other's faces and talk have been used in many countries as a way to reduce prejudice.

In Korean society, refugees are often known first through numbers and scenes in the news. As with the 2018 controversy over Yemeni refugees in Jeju, when people have never met one another, unfamiliarity easily turns into fear and hatred.

Dialogue with Refugees is a program in which refugee speakers and citizens sit together, ask about each other's lives and listen. MAP continues these meetings in schools, libraries and local communities and helps build a culture that welcomes refugees as neighbors.

What we do

Dialogue events between refugee speakers and citizens

Refugee speakers share their stories, and citizens ask questions and discuss with them. The events take the form of lectures, talk shows, workshops, small gatherings and tea talks, are held in several languages, and include an interpreter when needed.

since 2023
Dialogue with Refugees Tea Talk

A tea talk where refugees and citizens converse over refreshments; the first was held in April 2023.

since 2023Kyungdong Presbyterian Church, Neutinamu Library
School and university visits

Refugee speakers meet and talk with students at youth centers, elementary, middle and high schools, international schools and universities.

since 2019
Recruitment of refugee speakers

Refugees are recruited each year to take part as speakers, and receive an activity fee and capacity-building training.

since 2024

History

2019
The program began as the Human Library with Refugees, a format in which a refugee becomes a living book and sits face to face with readers to tell their own life. After a human book workshop, 13 refugees opened the first library on June 20, and by December it had been held 21 times in nine cities.
2020
COVID-19 moved most events online. MAP held online Human Libraries on World Refugee Day (June 20) and International Day for Tolerance (November 14). 23 people applied to be human books, including 8 who had taken part the year before, and 17 people from 12 countries took part. Online and offline together, it was held 20 times in 11 cities, and the 829 readers ranged from elementary school students to adults.
2021
The Human Library was held both online and offline, and it grew in scale. 18 people took part as human books, and it was held 30 times in 14 cities, meeting 2,036 readers. For World Refugee Day in June, two Human Libraries were held on June 20 and 25, and on December 29 a workshop to report on the refugee human book activities was held.
2022
16 refugees took part as human books and met 1,410 elementary, middle and high school students and adults in 14 cities. From this year, MAP tried a method with art educators in which art tools bring stories out and educational theater is used to discuss them.
2023
MAP changed the project name to "Dialogue with Refugees." The name Human Library brought to mind a one-way occasion in which refugees speak and citizens ask, so the new name was meant to hold a mutual dialogue in which citizens also share their own experiences. On April 22, it held its first "Tea Talk," sharing refreshments, and 2,016 people took part in 29 events over the year. 16 refugee speakers took part, and middle school students (646) and high school students (812) made up the largest groups of participants.
2024
In March, MAP recruited new refugee speakers and 9 were newly selected, bringing the speakers active during the year to 19 people of 13 nationalities. It held 21 events in 11 cities and met 1,559 local residents, 77% of them youth. More events were linked to school classes or project-based learning. Besides the 21 dialogue events, MAP held 10 empowerment activities such as workshops, camps and campaigns.
2025
New speakers joined, and events continued at places that invited them, from elementary schools to universities. In September, it was held at a youth center as a youth peace and character education program. University lectures and student club events continued, and on Human Rights Day in December a Tea Talk was held for the third year at Kyungdong Presbyterian Church.
2026
In April, MAP recruited young refugee speakers aged 16 to 29 and provided an activity allowance and capacity-building training. From May, events continued at elementary, middle and high schools, and on July 19 it held an art workshop introducing the paintings of a refugee artist from Ukraine.

Who it is for

Inviting organizations: schools, libraries, clubs, institutions and others (anywhere in the country, from Seoul and Gyeonggi to Jeju)
Online sessions can be requested from overseas as well (Zoom, one refugee participant, one moderator, 5 to 30 participants, and one interpreter if needed)
The minimum number of participants for an event is 20. If the minimum is not met, MAP will direct you to the ‘Dialogue with Refugees Tea Talk’, which is planned to be held every quarter.
Speaker participation: refugees living in Korea (the 2026 recruitment was for ages 16 to 29)

How to apply

Fill in the application form below at least one month before the date you wish to hold the event. Enter your name, affiliated institution or team, the number of refugee speakers you wish to invite, and any other inquiries. Interpretation is provided when needed.