11 December 2014 – Ten (10) buses wrapped in images of cultural and natural symbols and landmarks of ASEAN countries embarked on December 03 for a 10-day culture and tourism roadshow of major Korean cities from Seoul organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) to introduce the region’s cultural heritage and tourism attractions to the Korean public.
The “ASEAN on Wheels” roadshow was launched by AKC Secretary General Hae-Moon Chung, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez, Lao Ambassador Khamla Xayachack, Myanmar Ambassador U Soe Lwin, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Huu Chi, and Seo Jeong-In, Director General for the South Asian and the Pacific Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Ministry.
The roadshow is one of four events in the ‘Best of ASEAN’ program, which was designed to enhance public awareness of ASEAN in Korea by providing a unique cultural experience, and to help promote the establishment of “Partnership for Trust and Happiness” just before the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit to be held in Busan from December 11 to 12.
Calling them “travelling culture and tourism libraries and caravan”, Ambassador Chung said the buses “will provide local people with a unique experience of learning, tasting and exploring ASEAN. Participants can join in various cultural activities, including watching videos that introduce the diverse and unique tourist assets of ASEAN, and tasting savory ASEAN snacks.”
Speaking as chair of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul, Ambassador Hernandez called the event a “road trip” to Busan via Daejeon, Cheongju, Gwangju, and Ulsan, that “in some ways symbolizes a journey of five years, since the last jubilee year in 2009, when the AKC was established in Seoul, the point of departure of this amazing project.”
He congratulated the AKC and called the event “a masterstroke in public diplomacy that is guaranteed to raise the level of awareness about the ASEAN-ROK dialogue partnership in a way dearer and closer to the hearts of ordinary people than perhaps any Summit ever could.”
In addition, students from each touring city have been recruited to participate as the ‘ASEAN on Wheels Expedition’. The Expedition will learn about ASEAN and at the same time will be given missions to promote ASEAN to the residents of the cities.
Each bus contains an ‘ASEAN Culture and Tourism Library’ where visitors can watch videos that introduce the colorful and splendid tourist attractions of ASEAN, listen to traditional ASEAN music and also receive ASEAN Tourism Guidebooks. A quiz event will also be conducted to provide the citizens a chance to win prizes including return air tickets.
The event is being supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, the Metropolitan Cities of Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon and also North Chungcheong Province.
‘ASEAN on Wheels Expedition’ (approx. 500 participants): involves students from Daeil Tourism Highschool, Chungbuk National University, Daejeon University, Seongdeok Highschool, and various schools in Busan.
The ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit to be hosted by President Park Geun-hye will mark the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea dialogue relations, which was launched with the signing of sectorial dialogue partnership agreement in November 1989 before achieving full Dialogue Partner status in July 1991 in Kuala Lumpur. END