The YWCA Korea commemorated its 100th anniversary with the publication of a commemorative photo book titled ‘Towards Change, We Carry the Torchlight,’ released on June 30th. As a Christian civic women’s movement organization dedicated to women’s rights, justice, peace, and life since 1922, the YWCA Korea has compiled this photo book over a year, encompassing planning, thematic composition, manuscript writing, photo selection, editing, and design processes.
This photo book encapsulates the long history of YWCA Korea over 100 years, presenting 10 decades and 601 images of YWCA Korea activities along with the context of Korean history and Christian movements. Serving as a record of the longest ongoing women’s movement organization in Korea, it showcases the active engagement of women in the 1920s, events such as a summer church conference held across the divided North and South Korea, nationwide campaigns post the Korean War, family law reform movements, and glimpses of the Gwangju YWCA building during the May 18th democratic uprising. Additionally, it includes recent activities of 52 local YWCAs in areas like youth∙young people movements, gender equality, and anti-nuclear campaigns, reflecting the strength of YWCA’s solidarity and network.
Supported by the Kim Koo Foundation(Chairman Kim Mi) and in collaboration with the National Council of Churches in Korea, the photo book will be distributed to internal and external partakers, various libraries, civic organizations, public institutions, and centenary supporters.
In celebration of the photo book’s publication, a photo exhibition will take place at the Seoul Metro Art Museum located on the basement floor of Gyeongbokgung Station from July 13th to 26th. Additionally, an e-book will be created, and starting from the first day of the photo exhibition on July 13th, it will be made public on the YWCA Korea Archive.
