Mutual Cultural Exchange Project
Led by the Cultural Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korea Foundation, the Mutual Cultural Exchange Project began as a way to promote mutual understanding by building cultural consensus and raising awareness of cultural diversity in Korea. The project is significant in the sense that it increases awareness of diverse cultural expressions by introducing culture and arts of countries with which Korea has had limited exchange.
The Mutual Cultural Exchange Project began as East Asia Week in September 2006 when the culture and arts of 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan, and Korea were introduced to the Korean people. The event has since been held two or three times every year. The main achievements of the project include East Asia Week (September 2006), Africa Culture Festival (December 2007), Arab Culture Festival (June 2008), Silk Road (Central Asia) Culture Festival (November 2008), Central and South America Culture Festival (July-August 2009), Black Sea Culture Festival (August 2010), etc.
The Cultural Diplomacy Manual published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2010 selected “Mutual Cultural Exchange” as a major task which has maintained and expanded the project and consequently stimulated contact and communication between cultures. The 2014 Caucasus Culture Festival (July 4-6, 2014) was held through cooperation between Korea and two countries from the Caucasus (Georgia and Armenia). This project expands cultural diversity by promoting exchange and cooperation with diverse cultures of the Caucasus.