Korea Center's 2009 Year-End Dinner Emphasizes Multiculturalism, Charity
SEOUL, December 8 - Multiculturalism was the theme of Asia Society Korea Center's year-end dinner at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, as reinforced by screenings, a toy drive, a performance, and the announcement of a major new initiative.
This year's holiday event drew more than 250 guests. Prominent among them were His Excellency Dr. Chung Un-Chan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea; Dr. Lee Hong-Koo, ASKC’s Honorary Chairman and former South Korean Prime Minister; Shin Dong-Bin, ASKC’s Co-Chairman and Lotte Group’s Vice Chairman; Lho Kyongsoo, ASKC’s co-chairman and Professor of International Politics at Seoul National University; and Amy Jackson, President of AMCHAM Korea. Prime Minister Chung delivered congratulatory remarks.
The Korea Center ran a toy drive during the event and delivered the toys to the Seoul Global Center, which will distribute them to the children of low-income multiethnic families in Seoul. The dinner also featured a short screening of movies from the ASKC-sponsored multicultural film project, Beautiful Coexistence: Multicultural Festival 2009, which was organized by CGV, Korea's largest theater chain, in order to raise awareness about the growing presence of multicultural families in Korea and to promote better understanding of different cultures.
The Korea Center also announced its establishment of a scholarship fund for multiethnic and refugee children. The initiative was established in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Seoul Global Center in order to raise public awareness of these children, to stimulate a discussion about new partnership opportunities, to embrace non-governmental approaches, and to assist in the future growth of the children themselves.
The highlight of the evening was a performance of scenes from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol by students from the Seoul Foreign British School.
Since the inauguration of the Asia Society Korea Center in April 2008, the Center has conducted 26 high-profile programs and events in policy, business, journalism, arts and culture, and hosted nearly 2,500 guests.
Slideshow: ASKC's 2009 Year-End Dinner