South-Korea’s-Ambassador-to-Egypt-Kim-Yong-hyon-delivers-his-opening-speech-at-the-AUC
South Korea and Egypt commemorated 30 years of diplomatic relations with a major cultural event in Cairo on 30 April, underscoring deepening ties between the two nations and launching a bold new initiative to foster cross-continental artistic collaboration.
Held at the American University in Cairo (AUC), the event — titled Dialogue of Five Thousand Years of Civilization — brought together government officials, diplomats, artists and cultural leaders for a day of symposiums and performances celebrating both countries’ rich cultural heritages and shared vision for future cooperation.
The day began with the Korea-Egypt 30th Anniversary Artistic Exchange Symposium and Cultural Performance at AUC’s historic Oriental Hall.
The symposium featured six sessions exploring themes such as arts education in the digital era, the role of art in social change, heritage preservation in smart cities, and the evolution of digital photography.
A keynote speech by Yoo Jae-heon, CEO of Korea’s Yoozam Studio, focused on the global rise of K-pop and Korean cultural design.
A significant outcome of the symposium was the unveiling of the Cairo Arts Declaration, a manifesto calling for greater international artistic cooperation.
Signed by 11 cultural figures from both continents, the declaration also marked the launch of the Asia-Africa Artists’ Alliance (A3A), a new platform aimed at safeguarding artistic freedom, promoting cultural exchange, and supporting sustainable creative ecosystems.
South Korea’s Ambassador Kim Yong-hyon with speakers who participated in the cultural symposium.
In a video message, South Korea’s Culture Minister, Yu In-chon, praised the event as “the dawn of a new art ecosystem” in which artists from Asia and Africa “co-create without boundaries.”
The celebration also drew prominent guests including Khaled Al-Anani, Egypt’s former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and the country’s 2025 candidate for UNESCO Director-General, alongside numerous ambassadors and local artists.
Queen band, the Show Design group and Korean artist Jung Min-hyuk gave a group show. Photo courtesy of Reham El-Adawi.
Speaking at the event, South Korea’s Ambassador to Egypt, Kim Yong-hyon, reflected on three decades of bilateral cooperation, noting the two countries’ growing partnership across trade, technology, and culture.
“Egypt, as the cradle of civilization and a Middle Eastern cultural nexus, and Korea, a global powerhouse of K-Culture, have long thrived on dynamic exchanges,” he said. “These cultural bonds will undoubtedly deepen our cooperation and solidarity over the next 30 years.”
Queen band preforming. Photo courtesy of South Korea embassy in Cairo.
The day concluded with a vibrant cultural performance titled “Colorful Korea”, held at AUC’s Ewart Memorial Hall. Highlights included a dynamic media art show by Korean design group Saengdonggam, a modern reimagining of traditional Korean music by Queen band using traditional drums, and a beatbox performance by Jung Min-hyuk that combined audio mastery with visual storytelling.
The finale saw the artists join forces in a high-energy performance blending traditional instruments, vocals, choreography, and digital art, earning a standing ovation from an international audience.
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