KUALA LUMPUR: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea on Monday officially launched a year-long series of cultural programmes to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
The ‘UAE-Korea Cultural Dialogue 2020’, themed ‘Converging Cultures’, was launched by UAE’s Culture and Knowledge Development Minister Noura Mohammed Al Kaabi and South Korea’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Park Yang-woo at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre.
According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the UAE and South Korea aimed to take their bilateral cooperation beyond economic and trade relations and to converge efforts of the cultural sectors of both nations through cultural exchange, events, initiatives and ideas across the fields of heritage, literature, visual and performing arts, design, AI, education and more.
Speaking at the launch, Noura said the event is not only commemorative of the 40 years of UAE-South Korea diplomatic ties but also of a future that will further bilateral ties of cooperation between both countries.
“With this initiative and strategic partnership agreement with the Republic of South Korea, we aim to open up channels of understanding, exchange and opportunity in the cultural space.
“Both countries share a common vision to support our cultural and creative industries, nurturing young talent and encouraging future generation of cultural creators, artists, and leaders,” she said.
Meanwhile, Park was confident that the UAE and Korean cultures will witness a substantial development in intercultural dialogue through diverse cultural events planned throughout the year under this significant initiative.
“Strengthening cultural exchange lays an important foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation further in the political, diplomatic and economic fields,” he said.
Various programmes have been lined up to celebrate UAE and South Korean cultures in both countries, including workshops and public talks.
The UAE and the Republic of Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2019, building on the Special Strategic Partnership, established by bilateral visits between our nations, the most recent being made by Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Seoul last February.
— BERNAMA
