By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Katerina Lygkoni from Greece

With every splendor the Korean National Foundation Day was celebrated in Greece too, at the new venue for culture and arts, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The host was the Embassy of Korea in Greece and the invitees were more than 400 representatives from the political, diplomat, cultural and economic sectors of Greece and abroad. However the honored guests for this year’s event were the Greek veterans of the Korean War, which last from 1950 to 1953. The Korean Ambassador made special mention in his speech of their sacrifice, conveying the eternal gratitude of the Korean people to the Greek veterans. This year’s celebration is even more important as in 2018 three meaningful summits were held between the leaders of South and North Korea.

The word gaecheonjeol (개천절), literally means "The day that heaven opened." According to the Korean legend, the year 2,333 BC is the date of the foundation of the first Kingdom of Korea by Dangun, the grandson of the celestial King. Dangun ruled Korea for 1,500 years before retiring to the mountains, transformed into an immortal mountain spirit.

The selection of the place for this year’s celebration is not coincidental. It was held in an astonishing, new cultural venue that opened in 2017. It has already been dubbed “the new Acropolis of Athens” not just for its already awarded architectural beauty, designed by the famous Italian Architect Renzo Piano (Centre Georges Pompidou and KT Corporation headquarters), but mainly for the already forming crossroads for culture, education and democracy in Greece and the world. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center consists of the new National Library of Greece, the National Opera, Mediterranean gardens on the roofs, a lake and Children’s Park, with a plethora of cultural and educational activities, accessible to all.

During the function, the guests had an opportunity to meet the contemporary and traditional Korea, both coexisting and interacting harmoniously. They could wear the national costume of Korea, Hanbok, recently having a surge in popularity not only for the local youth but for the numerous tourists that occupy the Hanbok rental shops in Korea. In addition, the participants could taste the traditional cuisine of the country and even make gimbap rice rolls, stuffed with rice, vegetables and meat.

The guests were briefly transferred to the most important sites and cities of Korea through the Virtual Reality glasses created by the world known Korean IT companies.


In another corner of the reception, guests could wear the magic Virtual Reality (VR) glasses to travel to the most famous sites and cities of Korea. VR, a key feature of the 4th Industrial Revolution, has progressed a great deal in the last few years by the biggest information technology companies of Korea.

In one more example of harmonious coexistence with tradition, the guests were lucky to see their Greek names being transformed into the Korean writing system Hangul on paper fans that were offered to them! The Hangul alphabet is the creation of the scholar King Sejong the Great in the 15th century. The purpose of the new writing system was to reduce the inequalities and the injustices between the wealthy privileged few and the poor majority of inhabitants. The Korean alphabet is considered today to be one of the most technically and scientifically intelligent writing systems in the world.

There was music in the air, thanks to the Greek Musicians who interpreted the most well-known melodies of Korea and Greece. Co-hosts at the event were the Korea Supporters, the Greek volunteers that passionately embraced this function too, offering a helping hand in all the activities.

This year’s celebration of Korean National Foundation Day in Greece, in the presence of the Greek veterans and with the news of the peaceful summits, bridged Korea and Greece spiritually, once again—this time in peace and culture.




wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.