The IKAA Gathering 2013 is open to ALL adult Korean adoptees (18+) and their spouses/partners and children. You do NOT have to be a member of an adoptee association to register…but we’d be happy to put you in touch with an adoptee association near you, too, if you’d like!
The IKAA Gathering 2013 will take place July 29 – August 4, 2012 in Seoul, Korea and promises to promote networking both amongst adult Korean adoptees from countries all over the world, and between adult Korean adoptees and Korean society. This is the largest conference of its kind, occurring only once every three years, with attendees from all across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and an overall expected attendance of at least 700 participants!
The workshops & sessions provide a time for participants to explore more specific topics related to adoption, the adoptee experience, or the theme of the Gathering. One of the most popular sessions is the age break-out session, where attendees are split into groups according to their age, so they have the opportunity to meet and talk about personal experiences with adoptees of a similar age, regardless of their adoptive country. Past workshops and session’s topics have included: birth family search, negotiating relationships with birth family members post-reunion, Korea from a historical perspective, developments in domestic Korean adoption, working and living in Korea, Korean adoptees and parenthood, exploring identity through art, and much more.
THEME
The theme of this year’s Gathering is The Power of Networking: Crossing Borders and Bridging Cultures so we are spending more time in planning activities that allow participants to explore Seoul and the many things Korea has to offer. Because of this, we have a limited number of spaces for workshops. At the bottom of the application, there is a place to indicate if you are OK with discussing collaboration with other workshops that may have similar themes. We want to create the fullest program possible while also being inclusive to the many adoptees who have expertise and experience to share.
Preliminary ItineraryThe itinerary is only tentative. Activities and venues are subject to changes, so please check the website regularly for updates.
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| Date & Time | Activity | Location |
| Sunday July 28 |
Gathering Program (Optional) | |
| 08:00 – 18:00 | Conference Registration Opens | 2nd Floor Landing |
| 14:00 | Depart for Membership Training (MT) – Team Building Activities (return Monday 14:00) (Pre-registration opens soon) |
Offsite |
| Monday July 29 |
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| 08:00 – 18:00 | Conference Registration | 2nd Floor Landing |
| 14:00 – 16:00 | Gathering Family Program: Welcome Lunch (Pre-registration opens soon) | Offsite Restaurant |
| 18:30 – 20:00 | Opening Ceremonies (Dress Code: Business Formal) | Crystal Ballroom |
| 20:00 – 20:15 | Photo Shoot | |
| 20:15 – 22:00 | Welcome Reception (hors d’oeuvres) | |
| 22:00 | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Tuesday July 30 |
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| 08:00 – 14:00 | Conference Registration | 2nd Floor Landing |
| 08:00 10:00 | Continental Breakfast | |
| 09:00 – 18:00 | Third Intl Symposium on Korean Adoption Studies (Open to the public. Pre-registration opens soon) | |
| 10:00 – 17:00 | Gathering Family Program: Seoul Children’s Grand Park | Children’s Grand Park |
| Noon – 17:00 | Poker Tournament (Please note: Participants have to sign up during registration) | Paradise Casino Walker Hill |
| 19:00 – 21:00 | “How to be a Korean Woman”- A One-Woman Show by Sun Mee Chomet | Yonsei University Theater |
| 21:00 – | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Wednesday July 31 |
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| 08:00 – 10:00 | Continental Breakfast | |
| 10:00 – 11:30 | Gathering Family Program: Lotte Swimming Pool or other activity at the hotel | |
| 10:00 – 11:30 | Concurrent Sessions: Age Group Break Out Sessions | |
| 11:30 – 13:00 | Lunch Sponsored by KAS-MOHW |
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| 11:30 – 13:00 | Open Mic | |
| 13:00 – 16:00 | Concurrent Sessions: Program soon available | |
| 16:20 – 17:50 | Presentation by Hyeonseo Lee (North Korean Defector) | |
| 18:00 – 20:00 | Dinner | Lotte Hotel |
| 21:00 – | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Thursday August 1 |
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| 06:30 – 10:00 | Continental Breakfast | |
| 08:00 – 19:00 | Adoptee World Cup Games (Football) | Yonsei University |
| Noon – 13:30 | Lunch (available at fields) and Mini Concert | Yonsei University |
| 09:30 – 16:00 | Gathering Family Program: Suwon Folk Village |
Suwon |
| 21:00 – | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Friday August 2 |
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| 08:00 – 10:30 | Continental Breakfast | |
| 09:00 – Noon | Gathering Family Program: Visit to Martial Arts School | Kangnam |
| 09:30 – 02:30 | Military Session: Cheonan Tour (Pre-registration mandatory) | Offsite |
| 10:00 – 14:00 | Business Seminar | |
| 11:00 – 15:00 | Amazing Race / Scavenger Hunt | Various Seoul |
| 11:00 – 17:00 | Food Tastings + Competition | |
| 18:00 – 20:00 | Food Tastings (max 250 persons) | |
| 21:00 – | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Saturday August 3 | ||
| 08:00 – 10:00 | Continental Breakfast | |
| 10:00 – Noon | Gathering Family Program: Sightseeing in Seoul | |
| 11:00 – 15:00 | Guided Walking Tours (Food, Shopping, etc.) | Seoul |
| Noon – 17:00 | Documentary Film Festival & Panel Discussion | |
| 18:00 – 21:00 | Gathering Gala Dinner (Samsung) Dress Code: Formal Attire / Black Tie Optional / Hanbok |
Offsite |
| 21:00 – | Social Activities | Offsite |
| Sunday August 4 |
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| 11:00 – 13:00 | Closing Ceremonies: Brunch & Goodbyes | |
| 14:00 – 17:00 | International Leadership Meetings | |
| 20:30 – 21:30 | Buses Leave for Celebratory Closing Concert | |
| 21:00 – 02:00 | Celebratory Closing Concert (w. Asian Chairshot, Galaxy Express, Dan Matthews, Niko Yu) |
Club Vera |
