Peace Festival 2005 makes its grand commencement 

– From August 1 to September 11 (for 42 days) 
– With 3,000 lights burning for various places of the world 
– Governor Sohn Hak-kyu announced that Imjingak Pavilion and the DMZ would eventually transform into a holy places for peace and that the province would play a leading role in the prosperity of the global village and the promotion of peace for humankind. 
– A wide variety of events are being held, including a lecture section at Dorasan Station, a photo exhibition concerning East Timor, and the Students’ Peace Long March 

At 08:00 p.m. on August 1, 2005, the 42-day Peace Festival was started with about five thousand people attending at ImJingak Pavilion near the DMZ in Paju. 

In the event hosted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office and sponsored by the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the nation’s liberation from the imperialist Japanese colonial rule and the 2005 Visit Gyeonggi Year, 110 representatives of cultural, arts and academic organizations of 17 countries, including the U.K., Rumania and Israel, plus more than art/culture lovers all over the world will be engaged in a varieties of performances, exhibitions and first-hand experience of the DMZ located between the two Koreas. 

The ceremony of lighting the “3,000 life candles” which was commenced at 08:00 p.m. following the evening performance on August 1, was attended by Governor Sohn Hak-kyu, East Timor President Xanana Gusmao, and UNICEF Korea Chairman Hyun Seung-jong. 

At the ceremony, Governor Sohn Hak-kyu said, “With the festival successfully carried out, this place will eventually transform into a holy place of peace from the symbol of divided Korea and confrontation between the two Koreas. It is my sincere hope that the event will accelerate the peaceful unification of Korea and the worldwide peace and prosperity.” 

The 3,000 “life candles” that were lit at the ceremony was designed for on/offline raising of funds to be spent for less privileged children all over the world through the UNICEF. 

East Timor President Xanana Gusmao made a 90-minute lecture on the subject of “Beyond the History – Democracy for Reconciliation and Human Rights” from 04:00 p.m. at Dorasan Station of the railroad linking the two Koreas. 

The East Timor President said, “The event held on the 60th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from the Japanese colonial rule is very significant even for East Timor people, who share a similar history and political situation with Koreans. I think that the problem of North Korea’s nuclear program should be settled once and for all for the peace on the Korean Peninsula. This peace event is expected to contribute to peace not only in North East Asia but the entire world.” 

Other events held on the first day of the peace event included a photo exhibition concerning East Timor, the ceremony for formation of the Students’ Peace Long March Team, the signing of an agreement of cooperation between the Gyeonggi Provincial Office and the UNICEF, President Xanana Gusmao’s announcement of a peace message, and performances. 

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