[One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters] If You Want to Know Everything About Forest Healing, "To Hwasun"

The forest is a sanctuary that offers comfortable rest. When you stroll through a forest filled with phytoncides and negative ions, escaping from the complexities of daily life, your body and mind are purified and refreshed. In Korea, 63% of the land is covered by mountains. It boasts the world's fourth highest forest coverage rate, following Finland, Sweden, and Japan.

From October 27 to 30, the "2023 World Forest Healing Congress" will be held in Hwasun, Jeonnam. This event, attended by over 80 experts from 10 countries, will feature a variety of programs including an international forest healing forum sharing medical scientific forest healing research cases by country, demonstrations of forest healing programs operated by domestic and international field experts, sharing of healing food recipes, and a forest healing talk concert. The event will be centered around Manyeonsan Healing Forest, Hanium Culture and Sports Center, and Hancheon Natural Recreation Forest.

Forest Healing Image [Photo by Secretariat of the World Forest Healing Congress]

Hwasun, where the event takes place, is a healing city with a long history, tradition, culture, and pristine natural scenery. Hwasun, which holds layered mountain ranges, the northeast lake embraced by red cliffs, and ancient dolmen sites with a long history, has been loved by numerous poets and scholars since ancient times. Nobel Literature Prize winner J.M.G. Le Cl?zio expressed the autumnal charm and mystery of Hwasun in his poem titled "Unjusa, Autumn Rain," saying, "The drizzle falling on Unjusa rolls the autumn maple leaves and flows long into the sea, returning to the source of poetry." Based on such forest resources, Hwasun provides forest welfare services throughout the life cycle, including forest recreation, forest healing, and forest education.

Manyeonsan Healing Forest
Photo by Secretariat of the World Forest Healing Congress

Forest healing programs include on-site demonstrations, video demonstrations, and talk concerts. The on-site demonstration is a workshop where overseas forest healing experts directly demonstrate their local forest healing programs to domestic participants and share program information and communication. Experts from countries such as Japan, India, Taiwan, and China attend the on-site demonstrations, while the video demonstrations showcase videos introducing forest healing programs from outstanding experts active throughout Europe. The program videos are explained by Professor Park Beomjin of Chungnam National University, followed by on-site Q&A sessions. The talk concert features overseas forest healing experts discussing forest healing activities and current status in their respective countries.

There are also many unique events. On the 29th, at the main stage of Hanium Culture and Sports Center, a yoga experience program open to everyone will be held on the lawn under the guidance of a famous yoga expert. On the same day and at the same location, a woodworking experience program will be held for 20 families selected through a pre-event, where participants will make camping relaxation chairs. Healthy food recipes using seasonal wild greens and vegetables harvested from Hwasun’s mountains and fields will be demonstrated, and regional food experts such as masters of Namdo cuisine, winners of the Korean International Culinary Competition Presidential Award, Korean traditional food masters, and Korean food artisans will showcase recipes. Chef Yuseongnam has developed healthy food recipes using Hwasun’s forest products as ingredients, demonstrating cooking on-site and sharing the recipes. Food works themed on Hwasun’s eight scenic spots, including Hwasun Jeokbyeok and Unjusa, will be exhibited, and local healing food companies available in Hwasun will be introduced. An open market related to Hwasun’s forest healing resources and food will also be set up.

Hancheon Natural Recreation Forest
[Photo by Secretariat of the World Forest Healing Congress]

Additionally, there will be natural craft programs where forest healing instructors guide participants to make pine cone hedgehogs using pine cones, acorns, clay or modeling clay, and snow stickers; forest craft programs where participants dye their own handkerchiefs using natural materials such as leaves; experience programs where participants blend herbal teas according to their preferences and make them into tea bags; traditional Dasik (Korean tea cookies) making using pine pollen and black sesame; and forest walking meditation programs where participants learn and experience walking meditation methods while strolling in the forest. At the Hancheon Natural Recreation Forest experience booth, under the guidance of forest healing instructors, participants can check their physical and mental health status, learn their appropriate walking speed, and participate in walking meditation programs in the forest.