Hosted by Pyeongtaek City (Mayor Jung Jang-seon) and organized by the Pyeongtaek International Foundation, the World Culture Week was held under the theme of 'World Travel Enjoying in Pyeongtaek. It started with Poland in September, then Uzbekistan and Croatia in October.
Pyeongtaek City said that it provided a special experience for local citizens and foreigners who visited the global cultural event.
According to the city, the Pyeongtaek World Cultural Week, which started in 2021, will be held in 5 countries (Canada, Czech, USA, South Africa, Russia) in 2021 and 3 countries (Poland, Uzbekistan, Croatia) in 2022.
By planning a multinational culture week event, it has achieved a great feat of contributing to public diplomacy at the level of the basic local government.
Polish Culture Week, which took place from Sept. 22 to 28, offered citizens time to learn Polish history and culture through various programs, including a fun food making experience with famous Polish YouTuber 'Viola Wwazuzka'; the history of Poland, introduced by Ambassador Piotr Ostaszewski of Poland; Polish cultural lecture by the Polish broadcaster Matthew; performances by Polish pianists and violinists; and Polish pottery crafts, etc.
Uzbekistan Cultural Week, which was held from Oct. 6 to 12, gave a big resonance to the citizens through the photo exhibition on the theme of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Uzbekistan, the performance of the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, the traditional dance performance of Uzbekistan and the performance of the National Dance Company.
Lastly, the Croatian Cultural Week, which was held from Oct. 21 to 27, featured photographs of Croatian culture and sightseeing spots; a lecture on history and culture conducted by Ambassador Damir Kusen of Croatia; a recital of contemporary classical music by Croatian artist Mia Elezovic, adding richness with the food making experience program with Croatian.
Mayor Jung said, "This 2022 Pyeongtaek World Cultural Week has received great response from citizens by providing high-quality performances and high-quality programs overseas. In the future, we will make efforts to develop public diplomacy by promoting various exchange activities such as performances, exhibitions, and human exchanges.
“Meanwhile, in 2023, we will continue the event so that citizens can experience more diverse worlds in consideration of Pyeongtaek City, friendly countries and participating countries,” he added.
