Seocho-gu - UNESCO Korea Committee and Ghana Committee Promote Educational Exchange

Signing of MOU between Seocho-gu, UNESCO Korea Committee, and UNESCO Ghana Committee on the 23rd and 30th
Plan to invite Ghanaian middle school students to Seocho-gu in July... Educational exchange program communicating through music including '1 School 1 Orchestra' initiative

Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UNESCO Korea Committee and the UNESCO Ghana Committee to initiate educational exchanges with the African region.

On the 23rd, the district held a signing ceremony at the Seocho-gu Office with the UNESCO Korea Committee to promote educational exchanges, completing the first agreement. On the 30th, a delegation of four representatives from Seocho-gu will visit Ghana in person to hold the second signing ceremony. Once the UNESCO Ghana Committee signs the agreement, the tripartite MOU will be finalized, with the agreement period lasting two years from the signing date (‘24.4.30).

This agreement aims to foster diverse educational exchanges between Seocho-gu and Ghana through joint cooperation among the three institutions.

The main points include ▲ inviting and supporting student exchanges between the two countries ▲ establishing a foundation for continuous online and offline exchanges between students of both countries ▲ connecting exchange schools and students, outlining each institution’s roles and support measures.

As the first step in educational exchanges between Seocho-gu and Ghana, about ten Ghanaian middle school students will visit Seocho-gu in July to spend six days learning about Seocho’s culture and educational environment, communicating and bonding through music.

Key programs include visiting local schools to experience Seocho-gu’s signature project, ‘One School, One Orchestra,’ alongside Seocho students. Additionally, students from the ‘Sound of Seocho Orchestra Leading Schools’ will present a special orchestra performance prepared exclusively for the Ghanaian students, delivering an emotional stage. Other activities will include tours of global companies, sightseeing at Seocho landmarks, experiencing school meals and physical education classes in Seocho, and home visits with Seocho students.

Seocho-gu expects this agreement to lay the groundwork for mutual exchanges between Seocho-gu and Ghana and to contribute to expanding exchanges with the African region.

Meanwhile, since 2022, Seocho-gu has been implementing the ‘One School, One Orchestra’ project to lower the barriers to classical music for local elementary students and allow them to freely develop their musical talents. Each year, one school is selected as a ‘Sound of Seocho Orchestra Leading School,’ with an annual budget of about 700 million KRW invested to support orchestra activities, including instrument purchases and dispatching professional instructors to each school.

Mayor Jeon Seong-su of Seocho-gu said, “Through this tripartite MOU, we will establish a foothold to continuously expand exchanges with the African region. Through this, our children, as future talents, will have opportunities to develop global competencies by understanding world cultures and to cultivate a broad worldview.”