Gwangju City, 'Yeonghonam Culture, Arts and Tourism Expo'

May 22-24 at 5·18 Minju Square... East-West Harmony Festival
Over 60 Local Governments Participate to Promote Cultural and Tourism Resources

'2024 East-West Harmony Yeonghonam Culture, Arts and Tourism Expo' poster.
Photo by Gwangju City

Gwangju City is hosting the "2024 East-West Harmony Yeonghonam Culture, Arts, and Tourism Expo" at the 5·18 Democracy Square from the 22nd to the 24th, a three-day event aimed at exchanging cultural arts and tourism between Yeonghonam regions and promoting harmony and coexistence among local areas.

This expo is a collaborative effort by four local governments?Gwangju City, Jeonnam Province, Daegu City, and Gyeongbuk Province?to create a festival of East-West harmony. It is the second event following the one held on the 4th at Daegu's 2·28 Freedom Square.

More than 60 metropolitan and local governments from Yeonghonam, along with cultural and tourism-related organizations such as the Gwangju Cultural Foundation and Gwangju Tourism Organization, are participating, offering various side events including souvenir exhibitions and traditional game experiences.

At the opening ceremony on the 22nd, starting with a pre-ceremony performance by the Gwangju Municipal Gugak Orchestra, water from four rivers?Hwangryonggang in Gwangju, Yeongsangang in Jeonnam, Sincheon in Daegu, and Nakdonggang in Gyeongbuk?was gathered into a flowerpot to bloom the flower of Yeonghonam exchange in a "Magic Tree" opening performance. Additionally, a concert featuring fusion gugak group Olga and Playsion, a seminar on communication and exchange for regional growth, and programs where local government cultural interpreters introduce regional cultural and tourism resources were held in a diverse lineup.

Lee Sang-gap, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy of Gwangju City, said, "This year’s event will be a place for communication and coexistence between Yeonghonam," adding, "We hope citizens from Yeonghonam will participate and enjoy it together."