Diplomatic Corps. shines Seoul International Culture Festival!

-제16회 서울국제문화축제 외교단 참가해 현대 다문화사회의 이해촉진에 기여!

Diplomatic Corps. shines Seoul International Culture Festival!

Foreign Missions' attendence in the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival to accelerate culture exchanges worldwide

궁중의상 한복패션쇼

On the occasion of the World Citizen's Day 2023 as well as Foreigners Day in Seoul, The Public Center of Seoul Culture (Seoul Culture Promotion Agency) hosted without exception its annual 16th Seoul International Culture Festival at Gwanghwa Moon Square, the heart of Seoul, during 3 days from May 18 until May 20, 2023.

Specially in contrast to previous years, Diplomatic Corps. including Myanmar Amb. THANT SIN and Philippines Amb. Maria Theresa B. DIZON-DE VEGA from multicultural societies nations shined the festival by attending its official opening ceremony by themselves as well as gorgeous congratulatory performances such as Korea's traditional wedding ceremony, diverse singers' performances from Korea, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, etc. and dance groups from Kyrgyzstan & Arab style's Belly dance etc.


민간외교 문화교류를 통해 현대 다문화사회의 이해및 모두가 행복한 문화생활을 향유하는 문화 행복공유에 기여하고 싶다고 피력하고 있는 서울문화홍보원 이정환대표. 

As a media partner, The Korea Consumer Global Council (chairwoman: Cho Eun-young) took part in it by assisting the attendence of foreign missions in Korea in its official opening ceremony and by organizing several embassies' performing teams' participation while as a result, contributing to its great success during 3 days.

At the festival's first day(May 18 afternoon & evening), almost 30 booths welcomed first of all guests & visitors by demonstrating their products from local cities & counties, even selling their speciality products to the citizens who drop by the Seoul International Culture Festival venue at Gwanghwa Moon Square.


제16회 서울국제문화축제 공식 개막식에 참가하고 있는 탄진 주한 미얀마 대사. (좌측에서 두번째)

Through an interview with The Korea Consumer Global Council at the venue, CEO Lee Jeong-whan from the Public Center of Seoul Culture said: "During last 16 years, the Seoul International Culture Festival has been contributing greatly to the understanding of modern multicultural societies, in particular from the Central Asian countries & South Eastern countries as well as happiness sharing of Seoul citizens who want to enjoy happy culture life".

Most festival venues in the past have been Mt. Namsan Park & Namsan Korean villiage, but the Secretariat has moved to Gwanghwa Moon Square this year to symbolize the character of the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival globally in accordance with the spirit of the World Citizen's Day & Foreigner's Day, according to the Secretariat.

On its festival second Day(May 19), representatives from 6 countries embassies were on hand at its Opening Ceremony including Ambs. from Myanmar, the Philippines and senior diplomats from Uzbekistan, Cambodia and last but not least Secretary Choi Chul-kyu to the President for National Integration & SW Media Group vice chairman Kim Sun-woo who was in charge of the entire proceeding of the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival welcomed VIPs.



베트남 내빈의 무대위에서의 기념촬영.

By his congratulatory speech, Myanmar Amb. Thant Sin said: "We understand that the purpose of the Seoul International Culture Festival is to increase understanding of modern multicultural societies through non-governmental diplomatic cultural exchange activities which aim to introduce the world’s best level of Hanryu culture to the world while simultaneously introducing world cultures to Korea." (See the full text of Myanmar Amb. at the end of this article!)

On the 3rd day of the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival as well, many gorgeous traditional cultural performances made Seoul citizens including foreigners happy while at the same time, performing teams from Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and last but not least from Peru shine the festival venue once again.

At its final closing ceremony, CEO Lee Jeong-whan from the Public Center of Seoul Culture (Seoul Culture Promotion Agency) said that all team members over 200 staffs did their best for the success of the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival so that Seoul citizens & foreigners all can enjoy Seoul's traditional culture performances to the fullest including traditional Korean wedding ceremony, diverse multicultural countries' performances and dancers & singer group performances, to name just a few.

CEO Lee pledged the Public Center of Seoul Culture (Seoul Culture Promotion Agency) will do its best again to prepare next year's more diverse and profound performances in 2024 as well.

세종대왕 행차 시연. 

Congratulatory Remarks by Myanmar Ambassador H.E. Thant SIN at the Opening Ceremony of the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival

(4 pm, May 19 Friday at Gwangwha Moon Square Noli Madang)

Excellencies, Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, on behalf of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps, I, as the Myanmar Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, would like to congratulate the Publicity Center of Korean Culture, an umbrella organization of the Seoul Metropolitan City Government, on hosting the 2023 16th Seoul International Culture Festival with the support of the Seoul Metropolitan City Government.

We understand that the purpose of the Seoul International Culture Festival is to increase understanding of modern multicultural societies through non-governmental diplomatic cultural exchange activities which aim to introduce the world’s best level of Hanryu culture to the world while simultaneously introducing world cultures to Korea.

In this regard, I am confident that hosting the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival at Gwanghwa Moon Square, the heart of Seoul, is very appropriate, considering the designation of World Culture Diversity Day by the United Nations. Moreover, in today’s reality where components of multicultural societies from various nations form an important part of Korean society, the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival is expected to greatly contribute to enhancing understanding about the diverse cultures of foreigners in Korea as part of World Citizen’s Day on May 20.

Therefore, in terms of festival content, we are confident that the Korean traditional culture festival, including traditional marriage performances, Hanbok fashion shows, multicultural festivals with food trucks representing various cultures, multicultural traditional performances, and last but not least, the Hanryu culture festival, including K-Pop performances, will be able to bridge the understanding gap between Korea and multicultural societies.

From a diplomatic perspective, cooperative relations between Korea and Myanmar have been steadily developing in comprehensive areas such as the economy, culture, and people-to-people relations since the two nations established diplomatic ties in May 1975. Additionally, with an enormous territory three times the size of the Korean peninsula, abundant natural resources such as natural gas, minerals, and hardwood, and a young and talented workforce, Myanmar is poised to become a core axis of growth and development in Southeast Asia in the years to come. With the 16th Seoul International Culture Festival serving as another momentum and impetus, I, as the Myanmar Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, hope that Korea and relevant countries, including Myanmar, will be able to accelerate their cultural exchanges even more closely in the near future. I thank you.

주한 외교단이 현대 다문화사회의 이해증진에 일조하기 위해 제16회 서울국제문화축제 개막식에 참가하고 있다. (사진제공 서울문화홍보원)

딴 진 주한 미얀마대사와 마리아 테레지아 주한 필리핀 대사를 포함한 중앙아시아와 동남아시아 다문화국가들의 외교단들은 서울문화홍보원이 지난 5월18일부터 20일까지 2023 세계시민의 날을 맞아 광화문광장 놀이마당에서 개최된 제16회 서울국제문화축제에 자국의 공연단들과 참가해 국제문화교류의 장을 연출했다.

이정환 서울문화홍보원장은 서울의 한강과 남산을 중심으로 대한민국의 유구하고 찬란한 전통문화 및 세계 최고의 한류문화를 세계에 알리고 또한 세계의 문화를 한국에 알리는 민간외교 문화교류를 통해 현대 다문화사회의 이해 및 서울시민이나 외국인 방문객 모두가 행복한 문화생활을 향유하는 행복공유에 기여하기 위해 올해도 예외없이 광화문광장 놀이마당에서 제16회 서울국제문화축제를 개최하게 되었다고 밝혔다.

미디어파트너로 참가한 한국소비자글로벌협의회(www.koreaconsumer.or.kr)도 주한 대사들의 공식 개막식 참가와 우즈베키스탄, 키르히스탄 중앙아시아 아이페리 댄스팀, 페루 공연팀, 필리핀 공연팀들의 공연섭외를 지원해 민간교류 촉진기관으로서 그 위상을 높였다.