Warm greetings to you all participating in Global Social Economy Forum 2014 (GSEF 2014).

In last year’s GSEF 2013, every participant witnessed the possibility of a better world created through cooperation. By adopting Seoul Declaration, we declared to the world that we will all cooperate for realizing a better world. As a result, we will establish a new international organization under the slogan ‘Solidarity for Change’.

Social Economy is a human-centered economy which respects the value of life and cares the less-advantaged. It is also the social movement that aims to create a happier world through cooperation.

The world we live is overflowing with materialism and it needs an alternative. People want to realize the possibility of world that puts human beings as the center of economic activity. They want to participate in the journey to a better world. I hope the establishment of GSEF will serve as a stepping stone for those who want to contribute to the development of global social economy. I wish GSEF will bring hope to the people who dream of a better world.

Social Economy is an economy of diversity. Thus, I sincerely wish that Global Social Economy Forum that embraces the people across the sectors. including governments and civil sector, will be an example of cooperation based on diversity.

To all participants from various fields in the Inaugural Meeting of the Global Social Economy Forum, I would like to send my sincerest appreciation and welcome with respect and love.