"With this invitation fam-tour as a momentum, we sincerely hope that our West-District(Seo-gu) and regional cities in each nations would pave the way for the friendly & cooperative relations for the activation of more many tourists to West-Distrcit, Daejeon, Republic of Korea!"

West-District mayor Chang Jong-tae, Daejeon Metropolitan City welcomed visiting Diplomatic Corps. in its 4th Daejeon Seo-gu Healing Arts Festival following their successful visit in last year's 3rd Festival trip where former Bulgaria Amb. Peter Andonov, Spain Amb. Gonzalo Ortiz, Romania Amb. Mihai Ciompec and last but not least over 40 senior diplomats enjoyed it to the fullest including gye-jok experience, galleries tour, arts tunnel etc.

Without exception, a total of over 40 senior diplomats including many envoys from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps. joined Diplomatic trip to the 4th Daejeon Seo-gu Healing Arts Festival last Friday(May 24th) hosted by the West-District Office, Daejeong Metropolitan City as well as supervised by the NDNnews & its affiliate organization Korea Culture Ambassador Friendship Association by the warm invitation from mayor Chang Jong-tae, West-District Office, Daejeon & its Festival Organizing Committee chairman Kang Do-mook.

From the Diplomatic Corps., Honduras Amb. Virgilio Paredes Trapero assumed the Dean of visiting Diplomatic Corps. while Zambia Amb. Wylbur Chisiya Simuusa & Mme., Sierra Leone Amb. Kathos Jibao Mattai, & Kyrgyz Amb. Dinara Kemelova were joining in addition to Charge d'Affaires a.i. Luis Pablo Ossio Bustillos from the Embassy of Bolivia, Germany Peace Amb. Ferdinand Renz, Myanmar Brigadier families, Mexico Naval Defense attache Samuel Mendoza Ambriz couple, Russia Embassy 1st secretary Vladimir Kashtanov etc.

Attracting a total of 252,000 visitors from home & abroad and achieving its economic ripple effects of 9.9 billion won last year, Daejeon West-District Healing Arts Festival settled down as a representative Healing Arts Festival on the peninsula, according to West-District, Daejeon & its Festival Organizing Committee.

Touching upon such arts festival's character which represents Daejeon, West-District mayor Chang Jong-tae asked many publicities from each members of the visiting Diplomatic Corps. about Seo-gu & its Seo-gu festival in his welcome address, held at the grand conference hall West-District Office last Friday morning, adding he sincerely hopes that visiting Diplomatic Corps. would enjoy arts to the fullest alongwith its healing West-District Healing Arts Festival can offer.

About its character of the festival, mayor Chang Jong-tae from West-District, Daejeon added through dialogue with participants: "It is a culture arts festival which will be unfolded amongst the downtown", adding its festival will provide visitors with splendid memories through arts tree, arts tunnel, box arts exhibition, portrait drawing etc., to name just a few.

As Dean of visiting Diplomatic Corps., Honduras Amb. Virgilio Paredes Trapero replied he expects more many boom-up effects with the visit of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps. adding he heard that it settled down as a downtown-type festival as well as night-type festival, referring to the expansion of citizens & family participation programs totalling to almost 102 programs in 7 fields last year. (See the excerpts of Honduras envoy at the end of this article)

After the welcome ceremony, visiting Diplomatic Corps. dropped by Jang-tae Mt. natural relax forest where President Moon Jae-in & First Lady Kim Jeong-sook spent their summer holidays last summer in 2018 as their first stopover.

A guide woman explained: "The forest of the mountain has retained its ancient character and elegance to the extent that it only became known after it was developed in 1991. In particular, it has Yongtaeul reservoir which emits the natural scent of deep valleys, and the scenery is so marvelous that it is said there is no recreational forest like this anywhere."

Following a luncheon there, visiting Diplomatic Corps. toured Daejeon Municipal Galery and Eee Eung-no Galery respectively, followed by the tour of festival venue in the afternoon. By visiting many booths installed within Bolamae & Saemmeoli Park, visiting diplomatic community was able to feel that with its catchphrase, dubbed "Stimulate Imaginations! Cultural Empathy!, Daejeon Seogu Healing Art Festival is a differentiated district festival only West-Ward Office, Daejeon has to offer.

In the farewell dinner prepared by Vice Chief Lim Jin-chan from Seo-gu District Office, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Kyrgyz Amb. Dinara Kemelova proposed that if West-District can organize Dae-deok science-related trip including ETRI next year, she supposes more many Ambs will be able to join this trip.

In the gorgeous Official Opening Ceremony, many congratulatory messages from Daejeon Metropolitan City mayor Heo Tae-jeong, Assemblymen Park Byeong-seok and Park Beom-gye, Festival organizing committee chairman Kang Do-mook, and West-District parliamentary chief Kim Chang-gwan followed, echoing same opinions that Daejeon West-District Healing Arts Festival's such a remarkable performance despite of a festival’s short history is a result of concerted dedication & passion from all officers & staffs of West-ward office, Daejeon Metropolitan City in order to make it as a global festival where all cosmopolitans can enjoy it to the fullest!

Return remarkd by H.E. Virgilio Paredes Trapero as Dean of Visiting Ambs & Senior Diplomats

Honduras Amb. to the Republic of Korea

First of all, we visiting Ambassadors & senior diplomats would like to express our deep appreciation for inviting us to this beaufiful West-District, Daejeon City so that we can appreciate its 4th healing arts festival during its beautiful May, this year.

As a representative arts festival in Korea, we understand that Daejeon West-District Healing Arts Festival has operated a total of 102 programs in 7 categories last year, attracted approximately 252,000 visitors from home & abroad, and last but not least achieved its economic ripple effects of about 9.9 billion won.

As Ambassadors and senior diplomats who attach importance to forging good exchanges & mutually cooperative relations with local cities in Korea besides the Central government, we visiting Ambs & senior diplomats sincerely hope that we can contribute to achieving more many economic ripple effects and attracting more many visitors from home & abroad by our fam-tour visit to Daejeon West-District today.

Moreover, we heard that this Daejeon West-District Healing Arts Festival has settled down as a city-type & night-type festival by enlarging local citizens and family participation programs even further with a view to increasing oversea exchanges and enhancing its standing as a representative festival in West-District, Daejeon City.

Encouraging with our full support about Daejeon City West-District’s such efforts to nurture its Healing Arts Festival as a really global festival, we visiting Ambs & diplomats express our thanks once again for inviting us. Thank you!