The idea of “thanks” is a major concern in Pohang City. Pohang City calls itself “The City of Thanks” promotes “Thanks Sharing Movements” to cultivate a culture of gratitude and hope. Its aim is to share hope, communication, thanks, and good deeds, and therefore build a beloved administration and joyful workplace.
The Thanks Sharing Movements started in Mar., 2012. Various campaigns have been planned to create happy environments in the workplaces of Pohang City Hall. For example, educations of thankful mind and workshops for public officials have been organized. Also, staffs have participated in writing down five things they are thankful for every day. Moreover, a contest on writing 100 things staffs is thankful for was held. Every month, a staff member and department that participated actively have been chosen as excellent participants.
These campaigns have been spread to local organizations, schools, and companies such as POSCO. Several religious groups, the Marine Corps in Pohang, and other organizations have participated in the thanks movements. In school, students have been guided to write thanks notes and thanks letters, and writing competitions related with thanks have been held. In POSCO, volunteer works as well as thanks movements have proceeded.
Campaigns for common citizens have begun as well. A contest on writing 100 thankful things, a thanks letter for the citizens, and Pohang FUN Festival for thanks sharing were held. In addition, Thanks Dulle-gil, which is a special walk road with five themes (thanks, meditation, sharing, hope, and happiness), was established.
The Thanks Sharing Movements are giving positive effects to the City Hall and the entire city. In the office of Knowledge Industry Team, members present their thanks, and then give a chocolate gift with a thank-you note to the coworkers they appreciate. The team leader said, “the special events are forming the atmosphere of communicating and considering others, and remarkably raising the work efficiency.” Not only are the members in the City Hall but also citizens in general are getting happier. In a special lecture about the Thanks Sharing Movements held for elders in Jangsun Church, one elder said, “I wish the Thanks Sharing Movements would stretch to the whole country to make everyone in Korea happy.”
Additionally, the mayor of Pohang visited POSTECH on May 7, 2012 to donate 3,000 thank-you notes, on which can be written five messages of thanks day after day. Although writing the thank-you note has not been done well, having a grateful mind is still important for Postechians. The “thankful virus” will spread more widely throughout Pohang, and with this positive energy, The Postech Times hopes Postechians be more thankful and happy.