Majilis is an Arab reception room displayed at the 15th Arab Cultural Festival opening on Sept. 19 at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (Korea-Arab Society)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong and Israa Mohamed

An event highlighting Arab culture and offering a preview of the World Cup in Qatar in November -- the first time for the tournament to be held in the Arab world -- has been opened in Seoul.

The Korea-Arab Society (KAS), Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Qatari Embassy in Seoul are jointly hosting the 15th Arab Cultural Festival: Qatar World Cup Pavilion from Sept. 16-24 at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District.  

Explanations on Korea-Arab exchange on Sept. 19 are displayed at the 15th Arab Cultural Festival held at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (Song Minyoung)

KAS since 2008 has held the annual festival to raise Korean understanding of Arabs. The event is believed to have enhanced camaraderie between Korea and the Arab world through programs on Arab culture.

The theme of this year's festival is "Pre-glance in Seoul of the Qatar World Cup." Among its sections are Qatar World Cup Pavilion, a guide to World Cup stadiums in Qatar, the 32 teams that will compete and schedule of games. Others allow visitors to experience soccer and a "foot golf zone."

Tamer (left) is a date palm popular in the Arab world and luqaimat is an Arab donut. (KAS)

When Korea.net visited the exhibition on Sept. 19, staff saw a tamer, a date palm popular among Arabs, and the Arab doughnut luqaimat. Tamer is a leading snack in the Arab world that is classified as both a palm and fruit. Harvested, dried and fermented before consumption, tamer appears in the Quran and is usually enjoyed in the morning with coffee. The date palm is also the first thing Muslims eat after fasting during Ramadan and before drinking water. 

Often consumed on holidays, luqaimat is made by frying flour dough with oil and covering it with syrup. 

Women's clothes are on display at the 15th Arab Cultural Festival held at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (Song Minyoung)

 

A Korean woman wearing a black abaya, a female outfit covering the entire body except the face, was seen at the exhibition venue. Nabila Kim, 48, who converted to Islam in 1994, said, "I come to this festival every year as it's the only event where I can feel Arab culture in Korea," adding, "I always have fun at the festival."

Visitors to the Arab Cultural Festival on Sept. 19 get the Arabic word for "soccer" tattooed on them at the 15th Arab Cultural Festival held at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (KAS)

The tattoo zone was the most popular program of the festival. About 10 people waited in line to get tattooed during the day a weekday, finding the shapes of Arabic amazing and beautiful.

The Qatar World Cup Pavilion is part of the 15th Arab Cultural Festival, running from Sept. 16-24 at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (Yonhap News)

The festival's opening ceremony on Sept. 19 was attended by approximately 80 people, including Moroccan Ambassador Chafik Rachadi, who also heads the association of Arab ambassadors to Korea; Qatari Ambassador Khalid Ebrahim Al-Hamar; KITA Chairman Christopher Koo, who is concurrently KAS president; and Ambassador and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Public Diplomacy Lee Sang-hwa.

KAS President Koo said in a welcoming speech, "The Arab Cultural Festival has prepared a variety of exhibitions and interactive zones so that visitors can feel Arab culture more closely through the World Cup," adding, "I hope that this festival celebrates the Qatar World Cup and the spirit of sports and serves as an opportunity for closer exchange between Korea and the Arab world." 

KITA Chairman and KAS President Christopher Koo on Sept. 19 delivers a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of the Arab Cultural Festival at the Seoul COEX in the city's Gangnam-gu District. (KAS).

The Qatari ambassador said he highly valued Korea-Arab cooperation and that on behalf of all Arabs, he wished success for all teams in the Qatar World Cup.

Ambassador Lee said, "Understanding and respecting each other's culture form the core of public diplomacy," adding, "I hope that this year's Arab Cultural Festival and the Qatar World Cup offers a chance to deepen Korean-Arab cultural exchange."

dusrud21@korea.kr