Gwangju Dong-gu Takes the Lead in Promoting the May Spirit in Partnership with Organizations in May

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Im Taek) is joining hands with May organizations to actively promote the nationwide and global dissemination of the May Spirit on the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

On the morning of the 13th, Dong-gu announced on the 12th that it will sign a "Business Agreement for the Promotion of the May Spirit" with the May 3 Organizations (Bereaved Families Association, Injured Association, Detained Injured Association) and the May 18 Memorial Foundation at the district office situation room.

This agreement was prepared to promote projects in which each institution joins forces to share the historical value and truth of May 18 with all generations and widely publicize the democratization movement as a model case to the world.

Each institution plans to work together on ▲ promoting the value of the May Spirit and passing it on to future generations ▲ cultural and artistic exchanges related to the May Spirit ▲ creating the May 18 Democracy Square as a cultural plaza ▲ exchanging excellent policies on democracy, human rights, and peace.

Following the signing ceremony, an unveiling event will be held to exhibit a panoramic painting of the May 18 historical records, borrowed indefinitely from the May 18 Memorial Foundation, in the district office lobby.

The panoramic painting, measuring 5.21 meters wide and 2.55 meters high, is the first of seven paintings titled "The Calm Before the Storm," created in 2010 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement. It was jointly produced by 12 panoramic painting specialists, including domestic artists, the Russian Repin Academy, and Chinese universities, under the supervision of the Asia Institute of History and Culture.

After the signing and unveiling ceremonies, a commemorative tree planting will take place in the flower bed of the "Bell of Democracy" at May 18 Democracy Square. After consultation with the May organizations, the evergreen magnolia "Taesanmok," which blooms white flowers in early summer and sheds them in late autumn, was selected.

Im Taek, Mayor of Dong-gu, said, "I expect this agreement to be an opportunity to develop the May 18 Democratization Movement, which presented the greatest vision of a citizen community, from a May 18 of sorrow and anger to a May 18 of victory and hope, and from a May 18 unique to Gwangju to a May 18 shared by Korea and the world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.