Between September 20 and 23, the NEAR Secretariat welcomed the 11 winners of the NEAR Young Leaders Forum 2023, which had taken place in the Metaverse this summer. This gathering served as both an award ceremony for the winners and the official appointment of NEAR Supporters.

The NEAR Supporters were carefully chosen from among the 11 winners and additional 7 participants from the NEAR Young Leaders Forum 2023. In total, 18 students were selected to fulfill the role of youth ambassadors for the Secretariat over the course of one year. Their primary responsibility will be to utilize various social media platforms to promote NEAR's ongoing initiatives.

During the event, Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin congratulated the participants and encouraged them to return to their respective communities as fervent supporters of NEAR. He emphasized the importance of working together to build a world founded on mutual understanding and cooperation, with a shared vision of regional peace and common prosperity achieved through the NEAR platform.

Moreover, they visited Handong Global University, engaged in discussions with current students, and toured the POSCO Museum to gain insights into the world's leading steel company. The students also made a visit to 'Hands of Win-Win' on Homi Cape, reinforcing NEAR's vision of regional peace and common prosperity through exchange and cooperation.