Busan International Buddhism Expo Returns in August
Daegu Korea Buddhist Culture Expo to Follow in September
The excitement of the Seoul International Buddhism Expo, which was held successfully last April, will continue in Busan and Daegu. The International Buddhism Expo will take place in Busan from August 7 to 10, and the Korea Buddhist Culture Expo will be held in Daegu from September 11 to 14.
Pre-registration for the Busan International Buddhism Expo is open until June 25. Last year, about 20,000 people pre-registered, and the organizers expect this year’s number to approach 30,000. The total number of visitors last year was estimated at 50,000. The event is hosted by the Buddhist Newspaper and the Busan BBS Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation, with support from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Busan Metropolitan City, Beomeosa of Geumjeong Chongnim, Tongdosa of Yeongchuk Chongnim, Ssanggyesa, the Busan Buddhist Association, and the Jogye Order Busan Association.
This year’s theme is “Meditation City Busan, Meeting the World.” The event aims to develop Korea’s leading wellness MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) programs by presenting integrated healing programs that connect temples and marine resorts.
Detailed programs include: ▲ “Meditation Culture Exhibition & Meditation Craft Exhibition,” which brings together a variety of products and services related to traditional and Buddhist culture; ▲ “Meditation Art Exhibition,” which elevates the meaning of Seon and meditation through both traditional Buddhist art and contemporary artistic expression; ▲ “Balwoo Gongyang and Temple Food Exhibition,” which introduces unique temple cuisine from the Busan and Gyeongnam regions; and ▲ a Seon meditation experience zone.
This year, the exhibition space will be doubled compared to last year, taking place in Hall 1 of BEXCO Exhibition Center 1. There will be 375 booths for participating companies, 176 more than last year. Applications for participation are being accepted until July 4 from businesses in crafts, architecture, clothing, food, rituals, cultural industries, tea, and traditional/modern art related to traditional and Buddhist culture.
An official from the Busan International Buddhism Expo organizing office stated, “Building on the success of the first ‘2024 Busan International Buddhism Expo’ held in Busan last year, we are able to continue this momentum. This year, with the vision of ‘International Meditation Wellness City, Busan,’ we plan to go beyond the concept of a simple expo and develop it into a community-focused project that revitalizes the region and contributes to the mental health of citizens.”
The Korea Buddhist Culture Expo, now in its fourth year, will be held from September 11 to 14 at Hall 4 of the East Wing of EXCO in Daegu Metropolitan City. Applications for participating companies are open until August 1, and visitors who register by September 5 can enter for free.
As an extension of the Seoul International Buddhism Expo and the upcoming Busan International Buddhism Expo in August, the “Hidden Damda” Challenge will continue. The “Hidden Dhamma” Challenge is a program where participants complete eight tasks throughout the expo venue, collecting eight Noble Eightfold Path cards?‘Right Effort,’ ‘Right View,’ ‘Right Thought,’ ‘Right Speech,’ ‘Right Action,’ ‘Right Livelihood,’ ‘Right Mindfulness,’ and ‘Right Concentration’?to discover their own enlightenment.
Similar to the Busan International Buddhism Expo, the event will feature products and services, food, and meditation programs related to Buddhist culture.
An official from the Korea Buddhist Culture Expo organizing office stated, “This year’s expo, under the theme ‘Roots of Tradition, Flowers of the Future: Daegu and Gyeongbuk Buddhist Culture,’ has as its core vision the leap to a global platform through the modern succession of Silla Buddhism and Korean Buddhist culture and arts. Through the development and expansion of Buddhist cultural tourism resources, we will strive to establish the ‘Korea Buddhist Culture Expo’ as an international cultural event and help Daegu and Gyeongbuk become leading international tourism cities representing Korea.”
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