Future Generation Expo Education Program, 'Singing the 2030 Busan World Expo' Season 2 Successfully Concluded

3.22.~4.26. Conducted for about 1,400 students at 6 elementary schools

Busan Cultural Center, together with the 2030 Busan World Expo Citizen Promotion Committee (Executive Chair Park Eun-ha), successfully concluded the educational program for elementary school students, ‘Singing the 2030 Busan World Expo Season 2,’ with the event at Dongil Jungang Elementary School on April 26.

Scenes from the Singing for the 2030 Busan World Expo event. (Dongil Jungang Elementary School, April 26, 2023)

Last year, Busan City launched ‘Singing the 2030 Busan World Expo Season 1,’ which received enthusiastic responses from the future generation. Building on this momentum, from March 22 to April 26 this year, six schools were selected to participate in the ‘Season 2’ program, reaching approximately 1,400 students.

This program targets current elementary school students, who will be the main actors of Busan in 2030. It explains the meaning of registered and recognized world expos and introduces inventions exhibited by previous host countries. Through related music and singing together, the program aims to wish for and support the successful bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo.

In this year’s Season 2 program, in addition to the Busan Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, which performed last year, the Municipal Choir also participated, raising awareness among elementary students about the importance of hosting the 2030 Busan World Expo and providing a special time to sing together and wish for its successful bid.

The first performance, held on March 22 at Yeonmi Elementary School, began with a string quartet by the Youth Symphony Orchestra and a lively explanation by the instructor (EXPO GIRL). The elementary students showed enthusiastic responses by thinking about the future of Busan, where the 2030 Busan World Expo will be held, and chanting together, “Let’s bring the 2030 World Expo to Busan.”

At the performance held on April 5 at Gupyeong Elementary School, the Busan Municipal Choir (conductor Im Hee-jun) presented a children’s choir that amusingly rearranged songs about ice cream, airplanes, televisions, and other inventions introduced at world expos. This was praised for effectively and entertainingly conveying the educational purpose of ‘Singing the Busan World Expo.’

Especially at the final stage on April 26 at Dongil Jungang Elementary School, first and second graders, who had fewer opportunities to sing due to COVID-19, passionately sang the song wishing for the successful bid of the 2030 Busan World Expo while performing rhythmic movements, drawing much attention.

The city’s communication character ‘Boogi’ and Lee Tae-hee, the cheering captain of Dong-A University, also participated in each program, wishing for the successful bid of the 2030 Busan World Expo and performing rhythmic movements to the bid song with the students, receiving great cheers from them.

The 2030 Busan World Expo Expo Bid Special Committee also played a significant role in this program. City council members belonging to the special committee attended each program in person to further raise the enthusiasm for the bid and cheered together with the students, who will be the main actors of the future expo.

At the event at Dongil Jungang Elementary School, Special Committee Chair Kang Cheol-ho said, “It was a joyful time with the students, and with the wishes of all Busan citizens, we will work even harder to ensure that the 2030 World Expo is successfully hosted in Busan.” He also shouted together with 335 students of Dongil Jungang Elementary School, “Let’s bring the 2030 Busan World Expo to Busan.”

Lee Jeong-pil, Director of Busan Cultural Center, said, “I was delighted throughout the event to support the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo through music with the Busan Metropolitan Arts Troupe.” He added, “Since the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo is the wish of all citizens, we plan to continue various activities to gather the enthusiasm of the Busan Metropolitan Arts Troupe and students.”

Mayor Park Hyung-joon said, “Seeing the students participating in the event, I felt the strong interest and hopes of the future generation for the 2030 Busan World Expo.” He continued, “I once again feel the mission to ensure that the 2030 World Expo is hosted in our Busan for the future leaders of Busan in 2030.”

Furthermore, he requested, “Following the passion shown by the students through this program, I ask all citizens to continue supporting the bid and successful hosting of the 2030 Busan World Expo until the very end,” urging the public’s support and encouragement.