“Long live Korea and France! Long Live the friendship between our two countries! (Vive la Coree, Vive la France! Vive l’amitie entre nos deux pays!)”
On Dec. 12, the final curtain fell on the “Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges,” a 16-month-long cultural exchange program held to commemorate 130 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The official closing ceremony, held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, brought together some 250 officials from both countries, including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoonsun, French Ambassador to Korea Fabien Penone, chairman of the two countries’ organizing committees, as well as members of the French delegation.
“As the old French saying goes, friendship is like a bottle of wine; it improves with age. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1886, Korea and France have walked alongside one another as partners for 130 years,” said Minister Cho during her congratulatory speech.
“The ‘Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ was a celebration of this age-old friendship, and a push towards an even brighter future. Our year of celebrations has come to an end, but now is the dawn of a new era of friendship with many more opportunities for cultural exchange. My hope is for Korea to spread its wings in France and reach all of Europe, and for France to do the same, across the entire Asian region,” said the minister.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoonsun delivers a speech at the closing ceremony for the ‘Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ at the Silla Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 12.
The “Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges,” launched in September 2015, brought a wide range of cultural, educational, scientific, political, and economic projects into the spotlight for audiences in Korea and France to enjoy at venues across the country.
The “Year of Korea in France” took off in September 2015 with a performance of traditional court music, or jongmyojeryeak (종묘제례악), at the Chaillot National Theater in Paris. This was followed by a light show that illuminated the Eiffel Tower with the red and blue of the Korean flag. Subsequently, some 227 cultural events were staged across France, from Nantes, Marseilles, Lyon and Lille to Nantes.
The “Year of France in Korea” kicked off in March 2016 with “Age of Time,” a dance performance choreographed by Jose Montalvo, a choreographer with the Chaillot National Theater, and brought to life by dancers from the National Dance Company of Korea. Some 245 events showcasing different facets of French culture — such as art, cuisine, science, tourism, and education — were staged in major cities across Korea, from Seoul to Busan.
Former French Minister for Higher Education and Research Genevieve Fioraso says that France and Korea will continue to forge their friendship at the closing ceremony for the ‘Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 12.
Representatives from Korea and France raise their glasses to friendship between the two countries at the closing ceremony for the ‘Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 12.
“The fruitful outcome of the ‘Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ is only the first step in the long journey ahead for our two countries, and I have no doubt France and Korea will continue to build this friendship in 2017,” said Former French Minister for Higher Education and Research Genevieve Fioraso.
The former minister pointed out three major areas for cooperation between the countries: education and research, collaboration at the local government level, and the expansion of the francophone network in Korea. “Having maintained diplomatic relations for 130 years, France and Korea are ready to leap forth into the next chapter. As strong and comprehensive as our relations have become, I ask that organizations in both countries continue to come up with innovative and original projects to expand and develop our partnership,” she said.
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han, Korea.net Photographer
hlee10@korea.kr
