Page 7 - 새파란 화원들의 전통회화전 2022. 9. 21 – 10. 28 Atium, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

I am very pleased to be able to host 「Korean Traditional Paintings by Promising Painters」 of the University
of Korean Traditional Culture in the United Arab Emirates, which has the only strategic cooperative
partnership with us in the Middle East.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Republic of Korea in 1980, the United Arab Emirates
has expanded the horizon and deepened the depth of cooperation in various fields such as construction,
energy, health, agriculture, and culture, and has literally reached a mature stage in line with the age of
“Burhok” (the age of forty) - we are developing cooperative relationships.

In particular, the United Arab Emirates is a country that shows a deep interest in Korean culture while
respecting and accepting diverse cultures based on an open economic system and a culture of tolerance.

Recently, more and more Hallyu fans here are trying to understand and know the background of our
culture in a more in-depth way by looking for traditional values of Korea beyond the modern Korean
cultural industry such as K-pop, drama, and movies.

At this point in time, the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, which is nurturing younger
students for the succession, preservation and re-creation of Korean traditional culture, has been able to
prepare and exhibit works that reinterpret traditional paintings and cultural assets in a modern way and
graft motifs from crafts from the Middle East culture. It can be said that the timing is very significant.

I hope this exhibition will be a precious time to see the future together through cultural communication
with many people in the UAE who are showing a lot of interest and affection for Korea.

Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude and welcome to the professors and students of the Traditional
Painting Major at the Department of Traditional Arts and Crafts, Korea National University of Cultural
Heritage, who conceived and prepared works for this exhibition during the semester.

Lee Seok Gu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Arab Emirates