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

As a gateway and hub country in the Middle East, the UAE has built a special friendship with the Republic
of Korea over the past 40 years. In particular, since the export of the Baraka nuclear power plant in 2009,
bilateral relations have expanded the breadth and depth of exchanges in all fields.

Since joining the Korean Cultural Center here in the United Arab Emirates in 2020, many of the people I
have met have paid their heartfelt respect for Korea, which has been economically creating something out
of nothing and culturally standing at the center of the world.

The UAE is a society that respects and learns the cultural strengths of many of the world's friends, and
does not hesitate to share their own culture.

It may be natural for many experts and young people from around the world to flock to a society that
respects cultural diversity. The UAE has also been named “the country where young Arabs want to live”
for the 10th year in a row.

Since the Korean Cultural Center in the United Arab Emirates opened here in Abu Dhabi in 2016, we have
been able to introduce various Korean cultures from tradition to modern times in this cultural soil.

While there have been only few opportunities to introduce Korean traditional culture in person due
to COVID-19 in recent years, I am very fortunate and happy to have the opportunity to look back on
history and understand each other at the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi by inviting the Korea National
University of Cultural Heritage here.

There is a Middle Eastern proverb that says, "Before you go on a long desert trip, you must first decide
on a friend." Through this exhibition, 「Korean Traditional Paintings by Promising Painters」, I hope that
the spirit of mutual respect that has been built up over the years will be reaffirmed through cultural
understanding and exchange, and it will be a precious time to move forward together.

Nam Chan Woo, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in the United Arab Emirates