09/03/2010

Walter Klitz awarded Honorary Doctorate of Hanyang University

On Thursday, September 2nd, Mr. Walter Klitz, resident representative of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty in Seoul, conferred the honorary doctorate degree of Hanyang University.

He was honored “in recognition of his outstanding research expertise in the field of local autonomy, his devoted efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the profound implication of his work for capacity building in legal, political and economic fields”, as the certificate states.

Roughly 120 guests attended the ceremony that was held at the International Conference Hall on campus of Hanyang University. Among

In his congratulatory speech, President Kim Chong-Yang referred to the close cooperation of FNF and Hanyang University since 1987 and their common efforts to promote democracy, civic participation, local autonomy and political decentralization. He stressed that the jointly established Center for Local Autonomy had meanwhile established itself as “a major player in the field”. Walter Klitz, he pointed out, had deepened and developed the close partnership. “Under his leadership, remarkable steps forward towards local autonomy and civic participation in Korea have been made”. 

He acknowledged that Mr. Klitz, as “one of the few international officials granted entrance to the DPRK”, had “build up reliable working relations with North Korean decision makers” and even in challenging times, “does his utmost to keep the dialogue alive” and “bridge the two Koreas”. His “restless efforts” he continued, would be “appreciated by both governments”. In Korea, he remarked, Klitz was recognized as a “strong independent advocate for stability, peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula”.   

President Kim congratulated the honoree on his award and welcomed him “as a genuine member of the Hanyang family”. “I also hope”, he concluded his address, “that this occasion will boost up the Naumann-Hanyang partnership and amplify the educational, cultural and political exchange between Germany and Korea”.

Mr. Walter Klitz thanked the President for his kind words. “This award”, he said, “illustrates the strong commitment of Hanyang University (…) to our partnership”. “This partnership has indeed accomplished a lot. It has very much accelerated the cause of liberty. With great pride we look back to a worldwide exceptional process of democratic, economic and political transformation”.

Klitz thanked his predecessors and pointed out that they as well had dedicated themselves to the cause of wellbeing of all Korean people. “I would like to thank them for their hard work and the strong enthusiasm they devoted to achieve our common goals to help communities create a sustainable future”. “I am deeply convinced that peace and prosperity would not be possible without individual freedom and social responsibility. They are”, Mr. Klitz inferred, “two sides of the same coin”.