Diverse cultural events for foreign residents will be held in Gyeonggi Province in May.

Most notably, May 20 is Global Citizens’ Day, designated in accordance with the Act for the Treatment of Overseas Residents in Korea, and the week starting on May 20 has been designated as Multi-Cultural Week.

In order to commemorate Multi-Cultural Week, each region of Gyeonggi Province will operate diverse events to create a social environment in which people from different backgrounds can live together with shared respect for different cultures and traditions,.

Suwon City plans to host the “Bibimbab-Making Event for Multiculturalism” and the “Korea Cuisine Cooking Contest” on May 17, while Ansan City will host the “Multicultural City Declaration Ceremony” and “Global Folk Performances.” On May 23, Hwaseong City will present the ¡°Korean Speech Contest,” and Gimpo City will host the “Global Citizens¡¯ Parade,” “Quiz Contest for Foreign Residents,” “Traditional Performances of Diverse Ethnic Groups,” and other cultural programs on May 24.

Of particular note, Hwaseong City will hold the opening ceremony for the Welfare Center for Foreigners – a three-story, one-basement story building with exhibition halls, healthcare offices, and counseling rooms – at the Baran Industrial Complex in Hyangnam-eup on May 23. The Center is expected to serve as a valuable venue that will enable foreign residents to easily gain familiarity with life in Gyeonggi Province.

In April of 2009, Gyeonggi Province published ¡°The Guidebook for Living in Gyeonggi Province¡± to alleviate inconveniences experienced by foreign residents, provide diverse information and knowledge that will help foreigners interact with local residents, and support foreigner participation in the local communities. The province distributed the guidebook and uploaded it to the website in order to broadly disseminate the material.

In addition, the province has implemented policies to support foreign residents in order to achieve its related goals – including the advancement of a multi-cultural society, the provision of living support for migrant workers, and the support of social adjustment and independence among married immigrants –, under the slogan of “Global Gyeonggi Province with Foreign Residents.”

Jeong Suk-Young, director of the Family & Women Policy Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, said, “We will continuously pursue and develop supportive policies to encourage the successful adjustment of foreign residents to their local communities by facilitating their adjustment to their new surroundings, improving their living convenience, and providing diverse support measures to promote their independence.”