September is Month of Mexico
Mexico has designated September as the “Month of Mexico” in Korea, with an extensive program of activities showing the diversity and richness of Mexican culture, music, gastronomy and art, its embassy said.
This year is also important for Mexico and Korea because it is the 207th anniversary of its independence and 55 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
A few months after his arrival in Seoul as the highest representative of Mexico in Korea, Ambassador Bruno Figueroa has emphasized his commitment to “bring the societies of Korea and Mexico closer, increase our contacts and mutual understanding, as our economies have come more interconnected in the last two decades.”
The celebrations began with the visit of the Mexican cruise training ship Cuauhtemoc to Busan from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.
According to the embassy, the “Cruise of Instruction 2017” celebrates the “Centennial of the Constitution” and 35 years of spreading friendship between Mexico and the world.
The fourth trip of circumnavigation, which began in February from Acapulco, lasts 289 days and includes visits to 15 ports in 12 countries, including Korea. The ship, known as “The Knight of the Seas,” has so far visited countries including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Greece and China.
As of Sept. 1, Mexico has participated in the Seoul Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism with the open- ing of a Mexico City pavilion. Another binational of Tijuana-San Diego will run until Nov. 5 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
From Sept. 5 to 10, the embassies of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela presented the third Latin American Film Festival, organized with the Korea Film Archive (KOFA).
The film “Desert,” directed by Jonas Cuaron and starring renowned Mexican actor Gael Garcia-Bernal, was the Mexican selection.
According to the embassy, the celebration will conclude with a gastronomic festival “The Flavors of Mexico” from Sept. 14 to 20, under the direction of renowned Mexican chef Daniel Gonzalez from Fonda Mayora restaurant in Mexico City.
The festival will take place at the Cafe 395 restaurant in the Millennium Seoul Hilton.
Press attache Raul Mendoza Gallo said: “Diplomatic relations between Korea and Mexico are characterized by their productivity and diversity, which has been made more visible in recent years with the remarkable growth of cultural and educational exchanges.”
Over the past few years, Mexico’s cultural, educational and tourism promotion activities in Korea have increased significantly, as a result of the renewed popularity of Mexican culture and art as well as gastronomy and tourism.
The start of direct flights between Mexico City and Seoul last July has further assisted in developing extended connections.