The annual Seoul Africa Festival, one of Seoul’s fall festivals, was held on Saturday, October 12, 2024. At Banpo Hangang Park near the Hangang River in Seoul.
The festival, in its seventh year, brought together thousands of Africans, Koreans and other foreigners to celebrate the continent’s diversity, culture and Korean talent.
It was organized and sponsored by AfricanSite, a non-profit corporation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a designated donor organization of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and an NGO with special advisory status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Seoul City Cultural Policy Division (2024 Private International Cultural Exchange Revitalization Project)
Celebrated with pleasant autumn weather and a bright afternoon in Seoul, the festival was graced with the following events:
Colorful parades, official opening ceremonies, music and dance performances, fashion shows,
An awards ceremony with DJ performances, 13 free cultural activities for all ages (including two African food experiences), and 28 group booths were part of the festival.
The signature event of this year’s festival was the Asia Africa Talent Awards (AFTA). This is a particularly interesting program, with more than 150 teams participating in the Asia-Africa Talent Awards around the world, but only eight teams selected to perform at the festival.
According to a press release from the organizers, 21 general visitors related to Africa participated in the “booth zone”.
Institutions, communities, non-profits, social enterprises, arts organizations, academics/students
A group that includes the Ethiopian and Rwandan embassies in South Korea. These organizations were attractive
Showcasing their work and sharing it with the public by offering free content and participation in programs
chance.
The opening ceremony was moderated by Maronko Moise of the Rwandan Broadcasting Corporation, followed by a welcome speech by Choi Dong-hwan, chairman of the organizing organization Africa Site, followed by congratulatory speeches by Rwandan Ambassador to South Korea Nkubito Manzi Bakramutsa and Kim Young-chae. former Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea appointed as the 3rd Acting Chairman of the Korea Foundation Africa in September 2024.
The opening ceremony of the festival was attended by more than 100 people from nine African diplomatic missions in South Korea, including ambassadors from six countries: Angola, Senegal, Ethiopia, Sudan, Zambia, and Rwanda, as well as diplomats representing embassies from Tanzania, Sierra Leone, and Sierra Leone. guests attended. In addition to Ghana, representatives from academic institutions, African diaspora communities, cultural organizations, businesses, and civil society organizations will also participate.
In addition, 80 volunteers were dispatched to make the festival environmentally friendly, including flogging activities and minimizing the use of disposable products.This was the seventh time the festival was held in Seoul as a private event to promote cultural diversity and global citizenship. .
The event, organized by the non-profit Africa Site, promotes dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
We create unforgettable cultural experiences that strengthen ties between Africa and Asia through art. Since 2016, the Seoul Africa Festival has become the first and largest event in Korean history.
Celebrating Africa and promoting South Korea’s diverse African communities. At the festival,
We have consistently attracted more than 50,000 attendees each year for the past six years.
All photos were taken by Bereket Alemaev.
