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19 March 2002 by Omar Valdimarsson in North Korea Fifteen people are sitting in a room in the Red Cross headquarters building in downtown Pyongyang learning the English alphabet. A, B, C, D...a, b, c, d. In another room, ten Koreans are having a discussion in English with a professor from the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies about the different hair colours of Europeans. Is blond the same as yellow? Is dark brown the same as black? The first group of Red Cross staff and volunteers from the Democratic Republic of North Korea (DPRK) is starting a three-month English language course; the second group is coming back for an intermediate course. The classes are held daily, a total of eight hours a week. People in the first group are complete beginners, having no knowledge of English or the Roman alphabet. The second group can carry on a conversation and read basic texts. "The English language training has done much to improve our relationship with the International Federation and other international organisations in our country," says Ri Un Hye, from the DPRK Red Cross's International Department, who designed the training programme and is overseeing it. "With expanded humanitarian operations here and more and more work with the Federation, it became clear to us that we needed to improve the English skills of our staff," she explains. "Working through translators will never give the full picture - and without the language skills we will not be able to make use of the various training and cooperation possibilities that we are offered. Basic English skills are not enough, we need to have a good knowledge of the language." Although Ri and her colleagues had developed the basic language programme in 1999, it did not take off until late 2001. "With the help of Tomas Liew, the Federation head of delegation, and the British Red Cross, the first classes were held and a group of 25 young staff and volunteers went through the first three-month course," she adds. It was a resounding success and most of the pupils were eager to continue their studies. Hence the new round of classes which began at the end of February. Monthly tests monitor the progress of the students. "Already we can see great improvement in the relationship between our staff and the Federation delegation," says Ri. "We have evaluated the programme so far, and are convinced that this initiative will benefit both the DPRK Red Cross and the International Red Cross Movement." |
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