75th Anniversary of Korea-Philippines Diplomatic Relations

: K-Culture and Arts Education in Manila, Philippines

Completion of 2024 Philippine Cultural and Arts Education Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program

- 252 participants, including artists, teachers, children, and adolescents from the Tondo area, a slum district in Manila

- A two-week program featuring various cultural arts education activities, including training, workshops, and culminating presentation

- An exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines showcasing upcycled works created by local children

◆ Customized Training and Workshops for 252 Participants, Including Filipino Artists, Teachers, Children, and Adolescents

Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (Minister Yu In-chon) and the Korea Arts and Culture Education Service (President Park Eun-sil) Successfully Complete the 2024 Philippines Cultural Arts Education Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program from September 23 (Monday), the two-week-long 2024 Philippines Cultural Arts Education ODA program was successfully completed. Launched in 2013 starting with Vietnam, the Cultural Arts Education ODA program is designed to enhance the cultural arts education capacity of developing countries. Based on Korea's unique expertise in cultural arts education and its years of experience in international development cooperation in the arts sector, the program supports the strengthening of cultural arts education capabilities in developing countries. As of 2024, the program is being implemented in three countries—Mongolia, Indonesia, and the Philippines—providing customized cultural arts education training and workshops for children and adolescents.

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The 2024 Philippines Cultural Arts Education ODA program was conducted in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It was held in Tondo, Manila, where the waste landfill issue is serious, targeting a total of 252 local teachers, artists, children, and adolescents, offering training, workshops, a成果-sharing session, and an exhibition. First, a training program was held for local artists and public school teachers. Four experts in Korean cultural arts education were dispatched to the region to provide a variety of programs, including: ▲ training on science, technology, and art integration with a focus on upcycling, and ▲ development of cultural arts education programs for local children and adolescents. Through these programs, they shared their educational expertise. 

Next, a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) workshop using light and shadow, as well as an upcycling arts education workshop addressing the waste landfill issue in Tondo, were held for 222 local children and adolescents at public schools and care centers in the area. On October 4, aculminating presentation was held, where about 60 participants gathered to discuss the outcomes of the training and workshops. Dennis Marasigan, Deputy Director and Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), who attended the culminating presentation, expressed, “Through the Cultural Arts Education ODA program, we were able to combine the Philippines’ rich cultural arts resources with Korea’s expertise in arts education. This will provide a better future for children and adolescents,” and expressed a desire for continued collaboration with the Korea Arts and Culture Education Service.

◆ Exhibition of Cultural Arts Education ODA Outcomes to Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Korea-Philippines Diplomatic Relations

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines, the Korea Arts and Culture Education Service (KACES) will hold an exhibition showcasing the outcomes of the Cultural Arts Education ODA program. The exhibition, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (Director Kim Myeong-jin), will be open until November 4 at the Korean Cultural Center Library. The exhibit will feature a variety of works created by children and adolescents from the Tondo area, focusing on STEAM and upcycling themes. It will also include interviews with participating artists, teachers, children, and adolescents, as well as video sketches from the program. 

Director Kim Myeong-jin of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines stated, “This exhibition highlights the process and outcomes of delivering a message of hope through Korea’s cultural arts education to marginalized children and adolescents in the Philippines. It will serve as a meaningful cultural exchange event in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Korea-Philippines diplomatic relations.”  President Park Eun-sil of KACES remarked, “Through the Philippines ODA project, we have seen the positive impact of K-culture arts education on the local community. Moving forward, we will continue to expand international development cooperation projects that incorporate local culture and arts, striving to further the global spread of Korean cultural arts education.”

Origin: 한국문화예술교육진흥원 국제교류팀(https://www.arte.or.kr/information/report/ReportData_BoardView.do?board_id=BRD_ID0066458)