1열(오른쪽부터): deputy Swedish Ambassador Mr. Ulf Sörmark, chargé d´affaires of Embassy of Ireland Mr. Francis X. O´Donoghue, Ambassador of the Czech Republic H.E. Mr. Jaroslav Olša, jr., deputy Dutch Ambassador Mrs. Anne Luwema,2열(오른쪽부터): Director of Italian Cultural Centre Mr. Lucio Izzo, director of British Council Mr. Ian Simms, deputy head of mission of European Commission Mr. Uwe Wissenbach, director of French Cultural Institute Mrs. Laure Coudret-Laut and director of German Goethe-Institut Mr. Raimund Wördemann

사진: 박선영 기자, JoongAng Daily

 

After short but intensive talks, local Czech EU Presidency in Seoul has brokered an agreement among the four resident cultural institutes of EU-member countries on a proposal to establish local platform of European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC – www.eunic-europe.eu ) in Seoul. The aim of EUNIC Seoul is to boost the efficiency of European cultural promotion in the Republic of Korea by coordinating the activities of four Seoul-based cultural institutes of EU member states – Centre Culturel Francais, German Goethe-Institut, British Council and Istituto Italiano di Cultura – and jointly with some of EU-member countries embassies to start more varied European cultural presence in Seoul.  

The compromise negotiated by the local Czech Presidency and four cultural institutes, was also presented to twenty embassies of EU member states resident in Seoul. Four of them - embassies of the Czech Republic, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden - with strong cultural programmes have also signed EUNIC Seoul charter and became the founding members, while embassies of Greece and Spain also showed their interest to join this platform soon. The first charter of EUNIC Seoul was signed by the founding members on June 9, 2009 in Czech restaurant Castle Praha (www.castlepraha.co.kr), with director of Italian Cultural Institute Mr. Lucio Izzo being voted in as the first EUNIC Seoul president.

As culture has a fundamental impact on visibility of Europe in the Republic of Korea, launch of EUNIC Seoul will undoubtedly influence the knowledge and understanding of European cultures here. Following the successful EU-Republic of Korea summit which was held in Seoul on May 23, 2009, the creation of EUNIC Seoul is one more step forward towards more intensive and thorough European-Korean cooperation.

The first joint programmes are expected to be organized in the second half of 2009.

Related articles are at Korea Times