I am delighted to send greetings to all participants at the 2014 Conference of the Asia-Pacific Association of International Educators. I congratulate you on marking the tenth anniversary of its founding.

I have great appreciation for the power of education, which transformed my own country, the Republic of Korea, from the devastation of war, which I witnessed growing up, into the one of the world’s leading economies today.

The value of education is universal. Even in conflict zones and areas hit by natural disasters, parents have one overriding desire for their children: education. That is why I established the Global Education First Initiative, to put every child in school, improve the quality of education, and foster global citizenship.

Education can morally and intellectually enrich individuals while driving economic, social and cultural development. It can also promote peace and global solidarity by providing a greater appreciation of our common humanity.

I welcome your focus on “Enhancing Cross-Border Education Cooperation with Universities in Asia-Pacific: From Past to Present and the Future.” By bringing together international educational associations, this Conference has great potential to help foster mutual understanding across the Asia-Pacific region.

As APAIE looks back on its first decade, it can be proud of a record of achievement in realizing the vision of its founder, Doo-Hee Lee of Korea University. And as APAIE looks ahead, I encourage you, and all leaders in this field, to continue promoting education as a means to develop capable individuals, advance humanity’s progress and contribute to our common future.