Gyeonggi Province successfully hosts ‘2015 Gyeonggi-do Multicultural Hanmadang Festival’ at Imjingak Pavilion, Paju

◇ Gyeonggi Province hosted the 2015 Gyeonggi-do Multicultural Hanmadang Festival at 11:00am on September 6 at the Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park in Paju City. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

◇ In his congratulatory address, Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor Kim Hee-kyeum said, “Gyeonggi Province will do its utmost to promote the rights and well-being of multicultural families and their successful settlement in Korean society.”
ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

“Rainbows are beautiful because different colors blend beautifully. Gyeonggi Province will help multicultural families become the foundation of our society.”

Multicultural families from different parts of the world and Korean families improved their understanding of each other by communicating and coming to a consensus.

Gyeonggi Province hosted the 2015 Gyeonggi-do Multicultural Hanmadang Festival at 11:00am on September 6. Under the theme ‘Together, Side by Side, Good Morning Gyeonggi!’, the festival sponsored by the Korea Gas Corporation was held at Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park in Paju City.

The festival got under way with a fusion Gukak (traditional Korean music) performance by Hanayeon. The performance was followed by a rainbow cake-cutting ceremony by special guests including Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor Kim Hee-kyeum, National Assembly Member Hwang Jin-ha, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Members Kim Gwang-cheol, Lee Sang-hee, and Lee Jae-seok, Paju City Vice Mayor Shin Nang-hyeon, Gyeongin Daily Vice President Kim Hwa-yang, and KT Pops Security CEO Goo Hee-tae, as well as the heads of multicultural family support centers and foreigner welfare centers from each city and county in the province.

In his congratulatory address, Vice Governor Kim Hee-gyeom said, “You all have different reasons for coming to Korea, but we have a couple of sayings: ‘a nearby neighbor is better than a faraway relative’ and ‘where you live is where your home is’. It is now time for us to create a society like bibimbap in which different cultures blend with one another.”

Vice Governor Kim also said, “So far, we have been proud of keeping a single ethnic society, but multicultural families must be the engine that powers social development in the future.” He added, “Gyeonggi Province will to its best to promote the rights and well-being of multicultural families and their successful settlement in Korean society.”

In particular, this year’s event celebrated the 70th anniversary of Korean independence and demarcation with the DMZ Pyeonghwa Nuri-gil Walking Program in which domestic and foreign citizens were able to walk together along the Pyeonghwa Nuri-gil. Participants expressed their hopes for a unified Korea and for greater progress by affixing ‘ribbons of hope’ at the halfway point.

◇ This year’s event celebrated the 70th anniversary of Korean independence and demarcation with the DMZ Pyeonghwa Nuri-gil Walking Program. Pictured: Participants warm up before setting off. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

◇ Participants of the DMZ Pyeonghwa Nuri-gil Walking Program expressed their hopes for a unified Korea and for greater progress by affixing ‘ribbons of hope’ at the halfway point. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

While pinning a ribbon of hope on the barbed wire barrier, a symbol of Korean demarcation, a naturalized citizen from China, Bu Li-pyeong (39, Uijeongbu City) said, “This is the first time I’ve seen the reality of Korea’s division with my own eyes. I hope Korea reunifies soon.”

Also from China, Wang Gyeong-hwa (35, Goyang-si) said, “I became interested when I heard that the scenery of DMZ was very beautiful. I hope to see the day when Korea becomes unified so we can take the train to China.”

Participants also took part in various cultural programs such as: the Hunminjeongeum Quiz Competition; a talent show; Folk Activities and Multicultural Costumes from Around the World; Traditional Musical Instruments from Around the World; and water pistol sShootouts to overcome cultural barriers and grow closer together. Singer Seo Jeong-a performed a number of exciting songs including ‘Passion’ and ‘Oh! My Korea’.

In the talent show, J-Will (Namyangju City) who sang Insooni’s ‘Father’ took home the first-place prize, Ten Li (Uijeongbu-si) who sang the Chinese song ‘Small Apple’ came second, and a group of six led by Won Se-young (Guri City) who sang a traditional Vietnamese folk song and performed a fan dance claimed third place.

For the Hunminjeongeum Quiz Competition, contestants Song Min-gyu and Kim Mi-ryeong (Gapyeong County) won first place with six correctly answered questions, followed by Kim Ji Hyeon and Kim Yoo-bin (Namyangju City) with five correct answers, and Kim Jin-joo and Kim Da-jeong (Dongducheon-si) with three correct answers.

For each event, first-place winners were awarded KRW 300,000, while second-place finishers were given KRW 200,000, and third-place finishers were given KRW 100,000 worth of Onnuri Gift Certificates.

Apart from these contests, a variety of additional events under diverse themes took place at the festival including: Taegeukgi drawing; caricature drawing; face painting; a ‘family love’ photo event; Yeonliji of Hope, Bell Tree Message Event; Hand Drip Coffees from Around the World; health and legal consultations; and Tall Tree Sex Education.

Gyeonggi Province Welfare and Women’s Office Director Kim Bok-ja said, “I hope everyone can raise their awareness and interest levels for multiculturalism and help spread a sense of local community harmony by communicating and understanding one another.”

◇ Contestants perform on stage at the talent show. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

◇ Contestants Song Min-gyu and Kim Mi-ryeong (Gapyeong County) who won first-place with six correct answers in the Hunminjeongeum Quiz Contest pose for a photo with Gyeonggi Province Welfare and Women’s Office Director Kim Bok-ja. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Lee Jun-kyun eyekle@hanmail.net

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