The Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 will be held from Nov. 21 through Jan. 9, 2007.By Kim Hoo-ran
The Korean Herald (South Korea)
Thursday, August 31, 2006
The splendor of ancient Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-935), will be recreated at one of the seven wonders of the world, Angkor in Cambodia.
The Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006, planned for Nov. 21 through Jan. 9, 2007, will be an opportunity to introduce Korea's veritable museum without walls to international tourists visiting the ruins of Angkor.
The event, cohosted by the government of Cambodia and the North Gyeongsang provincial government, is expected to attract some 300,000 visitors, according to Lee Pil-dong, chairman of Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006.
Cambodia suggested cohosting the event in 2003, and Angkor was chosen over Italy and Uruguay, the other candidate sites, according to Lee. About 10,000 people from 30 countries will participate in the event.
The Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 will be held from Nov. 21 through Jan. 9, 2007.
"It is the first of its kind in that it is a cultural event involving two governments," said Lee. The total budget of 6 billion won ($6.24 million) is being borne by the two sides: 2 billion won by the Cambodian government and 4 billion won by the Korean side. The Korean government contributed 2 billion won, while the North Gyeongsang provincial government and Gyeongju contributed 1 billion won each. "For Cambodia, it is a big investment, amounting to 0.2 percent of its annual budget," explained Lee. Angkor is a popular travel destination, attracting 1.8 million tourists last year, according to Cambodian government statistics. "They expect the number of visitors to Angkor to reach 2.3 million this year," said Lee. Hence the appeal of holding the event promoting Gyeongju at Angkor. "It is a chance to show off Korea in a popular destination," Lee added.
The 50-day event titled "Ancient Future: The Myths of the Orient" will feature exhibitions on Khmer civilization and the Silla culture. Traditional and contemporary performances, including a traditional costume show and a traditional Khmer dance competition, will provide insight into the culture of Korea and Cambodia. There will also be 3D films and a parade of elephants.
Set against the majestic backdrop of early 12th-century Angkor Wat, a temple that represents the achievements of the Khmer Empire (1181-1215) at its zenith, the expo is designed to be an eco-friendly event, according to the organizing committee.
Angkor Wat is part of the Angkor Archeological Park - a 400 square kilometer park that comprises the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire. The sites date from the 9th to 15th centuries and contain over 100 Hindu and Buddhist temples. The most well-known temples include the Bayon Temple featuring the smiling carved faces of King Jayavaman VII (1125?-1215?), Ta Prohm, a sprawling monastic complex dating from the mid-12th to early 13th century, that has been purposely only partially cleared of jungle overgrowth, and the Terrace of the Elephants, a 350 meter-long terrace noted for its real-life sized bass relief elephants, from which the king presided over public events and military parades. The Angkor Archeological Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
The Gyeongju Historic Area, containing a remarkable concentration of outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art from the 7th and 10th centuries, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The city and Mountain Nam bear witness to the glory of the 1,000-year Silla Kingdom, with the numerous sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, temple and palace remains showing the ancient kingdom's cultural achievements.
The past three Gyeongju World Culture Expos, held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, have attracted a total of 6.5 million visitors since the first expo was launched in 1998.
(khooran@heraldm.com)
The Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006, planned for Nov. 21 through Jan. 9, 2007, will be an opportunity to introduce Korea's veritable museum without walls to international tourists visiting the ruins of Angkor.
The event, cohosted by the government of Cambodia and the North Gyeongsang provincial government, is expected to attract some 300,000 visitors, according to Lee Pil-dong, chairman of Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006.
Cambodia suggested cohosting the event in 2003, and Angkor was chosen over Italy and Uruguay, the other candidate sites, according to Lee. About 10,000 people from 30 countries will participate in the event.
The Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 will be held from Nov. 21 through Jan. 9, 2007.
"It is the first of its kind in that it is a cultural event involving two governments," said Lee. The total budget of 6 billion won ($6.24 million) is being borne by the two sides: 2 billion won by the Cambodian government and 4 billion won by the Korean side. The Korean government contributed 2 billion won, while the North Gyeongsang provincial government and Gyeongju contributed 1 billion won each. "For Cambodia, it is a big investment, amounting to 0.2 percent of its annual budget," explained Lee. Angkor is a popular travel destination, attracting 1.8 million tourists last year, according to Cambodian government statistics. "They expect the number of visitors to Angkor to reach 2.3 million this year," said Lee. Hence the appeal of holding the event promoting Gyeongju at Angkor. "It is a chance to show off Korea in a popular destination," Lee added.
The 50-day event titled "Ancient Future: The Myths of the Orient" will feature exhibitions on Khmer civilization and the Silla culture. Traditional and contemporary performances, including a traditional costume show and a traditional Khmer dance competition, will provide insight into the culture of Korea and Cambodia. There will also be 3D films and a parade of elephants.
Set against the majestic backdrop of early 12th-century Angkor Wat, a temple that represents the achievements of the Khmer Empire (1181-1215) at its zenith, the expo is designed to be an eco-friendly event, according to the organizing committee.
Angkor Wat is part of the Angkor Archeological Park - a 400 square kilometer park that comprises the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire. The sites date from the 9th to 15th centuries and contain over 100 Hindu and Buddhist temples. The most well-known temples include the Bayon Temple featuring the smiling carved faces of King Jayavaman VII (1125?-1215?), Ta Prohm, a sprawling monastic complex dating from the mid-12th to early 13th century, that has been purposely only partially cleared of jungle overgrowth, and the Terrace of the Elephants, a 350 meter-long terrace noted for its real-life sized bass relief elephants, from which the king presided over public events and military parades. The Angkor Archeological Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
The Gyeongju Historic Area, containing a remarkable concentration of outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art from the 7th and 10th centuries, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The city and Mountain Nam bear witness to the glory of the 1,000-year Silla Kingdom, with the numerous sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, temple and palace remains showing the ancient kingdom's cultural achievements.
The past three Gyeongju World Culture Expos, held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, have attracted a total of 6.5 million visitors since the first expo was launched in 1998.
(khooran@heraldm.com)
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