The Embassy of the Republic of Korea, together with the Government of Grenada hosted a Cultural Evening in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Grenada and the Republic of Korea on 1 August 2024 at the Grenada Trade Centre.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development hosted a reception prior to the cultural performance, which was attended by Prime Minister Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs Trade and Export Development Hon. Joseph Andall, and Permanent Secretary Roxie Mcleish-Hutchinson. The Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy Hon. Kerryne James and the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hon. David Andrew were also in attendance, among other dignitaries.
Ambassador Oh Dong-il gave a welcoming address, expressing gratitude to the Government of Grenada for providing the venue for the performance and stating that it was an honour to represent the Government of Korea and her people on this historic occasion.
Ambassador Oh presented a gift from the Government of Korea to Grenada after his address as a gesture of appreciation for the longstanding friendship between Grenada and Korea. The gift was a traditional Korean white porcelain popularly known as a “Moon Jar” due to its white colour and glaze resembling the moon.
Following the reception, Ambassador Oh opened the cultural part of the evening with a speech, giving a warm welcome to members of the Grenadian public who came to attend the celebration.
Ambassador Oh expressed his sorrow at the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl last month and noted that the Korean government had already taken measures to send financial aid amounting to US$100,000 for the relief effort. Ambassador Oh stated that he hopes this support and the cultural performance of the evening can help cheer the people of Grenada during this challenging time.
Minister Andall followed after Ambassador Oh and delivered congratulatory remarks. The Honourable Minister highlighted the active and fruitful initiatives that were established by the diplomatic partnership between Grenada and Korea, such as the short-term training programmes; the renewable energy and rural households project; the digital transformation grant aid and the vehicle assistance aid whereby a fleet of 10 vehicles were procured and given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Grenada. The Honorouble Minister also expressed his gratitude to the Government of Korea for being one of the first nations to provide tangible support for Grenada and her people in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, and gave recognition to the Government of Korea for establishing diplomatic relations from the onset of Grenada’s independence.
To commemorate this significant milestone, 50th anniversary stamps were jointly issued by the Grenada Postal Corporation and Korea Post, and the designs were presented at the event. The Grenadian stamp features an image of Marryshow House, the residence of the Grenadian and Caribbean public figure, statesman, and patron of the arts, Theophilus Albert Marryshow. The Korean stamp features Jibokjae Hall, a royal study room that also serves as a guesthouse for foreign delegations.
The cultural event that followed was given by the Korean cultural troupe Ensemble SU, which delivered a captivating performance of traditional music and dances blended with contemporary compositions. With Angel Harps Orchestra featuring in the performance, the evening concluded with a unique fusion of Korean and Grenadian music, including a special rendition of “My Grenada” by Ajamu.
The evening which celebrated 50 years of diplomatic friendship, stands as a poignant testament to the bond between Grenada and Korea and represents the commitment to mutual support and prosperity, a sentiment which is well encapsulated in the slogan for the event: “Towards Another 50 years Together.”
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
