The Path of Ecological Culture Connecting the World
Begins at Cheonseongsan
Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province successfully hosted the 3rd National Walking Festival on the Cheonseongsan Ecological Forest Trail on November 8, with the event taking place at the Woongsang Sports Park and throughout the Cheonseongsan area.
National Walking Festival on Cheonseongsan Ecological Forest Trail held on the 8th. Provided by Yangsan City
The festival was organized and hosted by the Yangsan Urban Culture Research Institute, with support from Yangsan City. It was designed as a healing event where citizens and tourists could walk together, while widely promoting the ecological and cultural value of Cheonseongsan.
Cheonseongsan is the central mountain range of Yangsan and the source of the Hoeya River. It is part of the Yeongnam Alps mountain group and is home to ecological treasures such as Hwaeom Wetland and Milbal Wetland.
Known as 'Sogeumgangsan' for its beautiful scenery and the legends of Buddhist monk Wonhyo, Cheonseongsan is also recognized as the mountain where the sun rises first on the Eurasian continent.
At the end of 2023, Yangsan City elevated Cheonseongsan's international status by establishing a sister-city relationship with Cabo da Roca in Sintra, Portugal.
The partnership between Cheonseongsan, a sunrise landmark in Eurasia, and Cabo da Roca, a sunset landmark, carries the symbolic message of 'One Continent, One Hope.' It represents an ecological solidarity and a path of peace where nature and culture are harmoniously intertwined.
Based on this international significance, this year’s walking festival was held under the theme, 'The Path of Ecological Culture Connecting the World Begins at Cheonseongsan.'
This year’s festival stood out from last year’s by featuring a wider array of programs. On the day before the event, the 'Eurasia Seminar on the Global Value of Healing and Recovery on the Cheonseongsan Ecological Forest Trail' was held, where domestic experts discussed the ecological and cultural values of Cheonseongsan and strategies for sustainable tourism development.
This year, a new 'Family Course' was introduced among the four walking routes, utilizing the 'Barefoot Pine Forest Yellow Soil Trail' created by Yangsan City, allowing families-especially three generations-to participate together. This healing program, designed to foster communication and harmony among family members in nature, received an enthusiastic response. On the day of the event, around 3,000 citizens and tourists participated, enjoying a walking parade through the pristine nature of Cheonseongsan.
Mayor Na Dongyeon stated, "Cheonseongsan is more than just a famous mountain; it is a symbolic space where nature, culture, and the future of humanity converge. Especially during challenging times both domestically and globally, unity and harmony among citizens, as well as revitalizing the local economy, are more important than ever. I hope this walking festival becomes an opportunity to deliver the energy of this great mountain and the power of unity to all citizens."
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