Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival a 'Cultural Diplomacy Venue'…Sister and Friendly Cities at Home and Abroad Pay Visits
Delegations from Suwon's domestic and international sister and friendly cities visited Suwon for the 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival.
On the 3rd, Suwon held a welcome reception for the "63rd Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival Sister and Friendly Cities Day" at Suwon Convention Center to greet the guests.
The reception was attended by delegations from international sister and friendly cities including Bandung, Indonesia; Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Haiphong, Vietnam; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; Fukui, Japan; Zhuhai, China; and Querétaro, Mexico, as well as delegations from domestic sister and friendly cities including Taean-gun, Nonsan, Jeju, Pohang, and Bonghwa-gun.
The welcome reception began with traditional performances by delegations from Zhuhai and Cluj-Napoca, followed by welcoming remarks by Mayor Lee Jae-jun, informal talks, and congratulatory performances. Delegations from each city exchanged conversations and promised mutual exchange and cooperation.
Mayor Lee Jae-jun of Suwon said, "I am delighted to bring together delegations from cities with whom we have maintained long-standing friendships and new cities with which we will expand exchanges on this meaningful year marking the 230th anniversary of the construction of Suwon Hwaseong." He added, "With Suwon's Year of Visits as a turning point, Suwon will advance as a leisure tourism city, and we will develop content that allows the world to enjoy Suwon's historical and cultural heritage together."
Fusion traditional music ensemble 'Art Kudo' presented a stage that reinterprets traditional music in a contemporary manner. Participants turned on their smartphone lights together to complete a "light of friendship" that united the hearts of different cities.
2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Suwon and Fukui, Japan, and the 20th anniversary of friendly exchanges with Zhuhai, China. Additionally, the delegation from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, returned to Suwon for the first time in 10 years since the 2016 Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival, reaffirming their unchanged friendship.
The delegations will stay in Suwon to attend major programs of the Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival including the opening bell-ringing ceremony, King Jeongjo's procession to his tomb, Suwon Hwaseong media art, and the water performance "Seon-yu-mong," as well as make official courtesy calls and cultural tours.