On March 20, 2019, the Korea Foundation hosted the opening ceremony of the “Nowruz, Spring of Central Asia” exhibition at the KF Gallery in Suha-dong in downtown Seoul. The exhibition is held in conjunction with the “Central Asian Spring Festival – Nowruz in Seoul,” organized as part of the KF’s “2019 KF Global Bridge I” program.

The Foundation’s Executive Vice-President, Mr. KIM Seong-in, opened the ceremony with his welcoming remarks, followed by congratulatory speeches by the Turkmen Ambassador to South Korea, H.E. Mr. Myrat Mammetalyyev, and the Acting President of the Asia Culture Center, Mr. LEE Jin-sik.

With Nowruz as its theme, the exhibition showcases the five Central Asian countries’ respective traditions and intangible heritages. In 2009, the widely celebrated festival was inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and 2019 thus marks the 10th anniversary of this important recognition.

The exhibition also includes Korean artists’ impressions of Central Asia as well as ten picture books that represent the first Central Asian children’s books to be translated into Korean.

The exhibition at the KF Gallery continues until April 27, 2019, and throughout the “Central Asian Spring Festival,” country-themed weeks will introduce the arts, culture and history of each country in depth. Outdoor events will be held, too, and include cultural performances and a street fair. For further information, please visit the noticeboard on the KF website.