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Title Global Friendship Festival Unites Cultures, Peoples
No 147 Inquiry 1552 Date 2018/11/05

□ The fourth Global Friendship Festival was held on November 3 on Sebitseom, the multimedia art
complex at Banpo Hangang Park, hosted by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural
Exchange (KOFICE) and GKL Foundation, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism.


□ The festival has been held since 2015 to promote friendship and harmony through culture among
Koreans and foreigners, especially foreign students, multicultural families, and foreign laborers.


□ This year, the festival, subtitled “Hangang Running Together,” prepared two running tracks, one of
4 kilometers and the other 8 kilometers. More than 500 people from 27 countries including the United
States, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and Peru participated in the running event.
KOFICE will add meaning to the event by donating part of the funds raised by the participation fee to
low-income multicultural families.


□ An Jung-eun, who took part in the event as a “mentor runner” said, “I have been to many running
events, and the Global Friendship Festival seems much more energetic than other events because its
participants are from diverse countries. I hope there will be more of this kind where people run and
create harmony.”


□ In addition to the participants in “Hangang Running Together,” a large number of citizens came to
visit the booths for multicultural experiences and performances, enjoying the mild weather after a
premature wave of cold. There were interesting booths that lured the visitors with such advertisements
as “Global Name-making,” “Experiencing the World’s Traditional Games,” “DIY Bracelets Using
National Flags,” and “Global Traditional Tea Tasting.” Multicultural performances were given by the
8th US Army Band, AMD. Korea, and Salad Theater. Non-verbal performances were presented by SFlava,
the B-boying group using Korean traditional music; and Tago, the fusion music band using
Korean drums. The indie band Oriental Showcus also shared the stage.


□ KOFICE President Kim Yongrak said, “I will endeavor to prepare more events like the Global
Friendship Festival where world citizens can communicate with each other, overcoming language and
cultural barriers.”