Suncheon City Pushes Forward with East Asian Cultural City Project This Year Despite COVID-19 Challenges

Year-Round Cultural Exchange Events Between Suncheon, Korea; Shaoxing and Dunhuang, China; and Kitakyushu, Japan
To Be Held According to Social Distancing and Quarantine Guidelines if COVID-19 Persists

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City (Mayor Heo Seok) will normally proceed with the East Asia Cultural City project this year, which had been postponed due to COVID-19.

Although the COVID-19 situation remains fluid, Suncheon City plans to establish and implement a flexible event plan by actively introducing online non-face-to-face cultural exchange programs in accordance with social distancing level-based quarantine guidelines.

The East Asia Cultural City project selects representative cities from Korea, China, and Japan each year to hold official events and year-round cultural exchange activities. In December last year, through a joint announcement by Korea, China, and Japan, Suncheon City in Korea, Shaoxing City and Dunhuang City in China, and Kitakyushu City in Japan were officially declared as the four cities representing the three countries.

Starting with the opening ceremony to be held at Suncheonman National Garden on May 14, Suncheon plans a variety of cultural exchange programs throughout the year, including the Picture Book & Webtoon Festa (June), Korea-China-Japan Future Art Convergence Festival (July), East Asia Youth Arts Festival (August), Garden Music Festival (September), Korea-China-Japan Peace Forum (October), Suncheon cultural and artistic field artist exchange exhibition (year-round), support for private exchange projects (year-round), and the closing ceremony (November).

Currently, online video conferences are being held with the Chinese and Japanese working teams to discuss detailed progress matters.

A Suncheon City official stated, “We are committed to carrying out the 2021 East Asia Cultural City project and are thoroughly preparing program plans and quarantine measures in anticipation of the with-COVID era.” He added, “Through this project, we will do our best to provide courage and joy in life to citizens and local cultural artists who are enduring difficult daily lives due to COVID-19.”

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