Gwangju International Center is looking for talent show participants and people to run booths for the 20th annual Gwangju International Community Day in October.

Boram Lee said the objective behind GIC Day is to help promote multiculturalism in Gwangju and Korea. Her team hopes to have as positive a turnout as last year’s GIC Day, where people from around the city showcased their cultures.

The novelty of the performances, Lee explains, is what makes them exciting.

“Last year the Indonesian team won best award for (the) Talent Show, they performed a ‘Saman Dance,’ which is originally from Aceh, Indonesia,” Lee said, detailing some of the highlights of last year’s acts.

“The Ireland booth in the country pavilion area was also popular with the audience. They offered a free Irish name service, which was very unique.”

“We love to see different kinds of traditional dances that we cannot see here in Korea.”

Entertaining the crowd with the talent show is just one way the public can get involved. GIC Day will also have a flea market where people may sell their own crafts or donate used items. Funds collected from the latter will be used to fund GIC services.

There will also be information and country pavilion booths where Koreans and foreigners alike may interact and engage in cultural exchanges.

“The Country Pavilion area has two different types of booths: One is introducing each country’s foods and the other is giving a chance for participants to enjoy and experience each country’s traditional games or traditional costumes,” Lee said.

“Information booths host many different organizations ― international communities and Korean organizations that give counseling services or other various services beneficial for both the locals and international residents.”

Registration for the talent show and booths is free and must be completed by Aug. 20. Applicants must then attend a preparatory session on Aug. 23, where they will be evaluated and chosen for a spot at the event proper on Oct. 19. Registration forms can be found at gic.or.kr.

Having been deemed a cultural city by the Ministry of Tourism, Gwangju will host a number of cultural events in October. Lee says she and the event’s organizing team are proud that GIC can be a part of the cultural initiative.

The festivities, according to Lee, are hosted with one goal in mind: making Gwangju “a more global city.”

BY Dina Perez, Intern reporter
(dperez@heraldcorp.com)