'A Year-Round Inspiring Humanities City'... Gwangju Dong-gu Hosts Book Garden Exhibition

Gwangju Donggu District will exhibit books related to the 'Humanities City Donggu Project,' which has been promoted since 2018, at the book center on the first floor of the district office. Provided by Gwangju Donggu District

Gwangju Dong-gu (District Mayor Lim Taek) announced on the 15th that books related to the "Humanities City Dong-gu Project," which has been promoted since 2018, are being exhibited at the Book Garden on the first floor of the district office.

With the launch of the 7th popularly elected administration, Dong-gu has pursued various humanities projects aimed at establishing a "Humanities City," including supporting residents' humanities activities, promoting a reading culture, and recording local cultural assets. In July last year, the district held a declaration ceremony for the "Humanities City Dong-gu" brand, laying the groundwork for a further leap forward as a full-fledged humanities city.

This exhibition provides an opportunity to see these achievements at a glance through books. Ten books selected as the "Books of the Year" from the "Reading Dong-gu" project, which has been promoted annually since 2021 to foster a reading culture, are on display. Visitors can also find around 30 autobiographies written by seniors, published through the "Life Publishing Project" that has been ongoing since 2019.

Records from the "Dong-gu Humanities City Documentation Project," which has been conducted for seven years to enhance residents' pride, are also on display. The exhibition features various records about the region, including neighborhood histories such as "Walking Through the Time of Hak-dong," as well as "People of Dong-gu" and "Old Shops on Chungjang-ro."

A special section has also been prepared, featuring literary works set in Dong-gu. Visitors can encounter various poems and novels set in the district, such as "The Boy Is Coming" by author Han Kang, which deals with the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement centered around the old Jeonnam Provincial Office; "The Lighthouse," an autobiographical novel by author Lim Cheolwoo set in Sansu-dong and Gyerim-dong; and "At Sapyeong Station" by author Kwak Jaegu, inspired by Namgwangju Station.

Lim Taek, Mayor of Dong-gu, said, "Through the Humanities City project, Dong-gu has worked with residents to foster a culture of reading, and we have consistently worked not only to encourage reading but also to compile the stories of our region and its people into books."