Lisbon will remain the host city for the Web Summit technology conference until 2028, according to the Portuguese Embassy and Aicep Portugal Global in Seoul. Under a new 110 million-euro ($127 million) deal that includes a large-scale venue expansion, the company behind the technology conference has come to a new agreement with the Portuguese government.The decision, which was revealed by Web Summit Chief Executive Officer Paddy Cosgrave and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa in early Octob

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 22, 2018

In the era of the “fourth industrial revolution,” higher education should cultivate resilience in student intellectual capacity, and “human qualities” that put people above machines, according to University of Toronto president Meric Gertler. Gertler, a renowned Canadian urban theorist who taught at the university from 1983 through 2013, also stressed that universities and graduates should engage one another in a lifelong relationship to get a head start in the global economy. “How can we educat

Social Affairs Oct. 17, 2018

Members of the Australian Embassy, led by Ambassador James Choi, and the Australian community here took part in a challenging 375-kilometer cycling journey in Korea for three days to promote diversity and multiculturalism.The team of 15 Australian and Korean riders started their campaign at the Unification Observatory in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province, on Oct. 6. They traveled southward along the east coast to the city of Gangneung on the first day, rode over the mountain range of Baekdudaegan th

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 15, 2018

A poster for the Latin American Film Festival (KOFA)The Latin American Film Festival will be held in Seoul from Tuesday to Sunday for its fourth straight year, showcasing films that unveil the desires and concerns of contemporary Central and South Americans. The embassies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay will each present a movie that highlights its own culture, society and history, including internatio

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 15, 2018

Philippine Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez speaks at the Migrants Arirang Multicultural Festival in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, from Oct. 5-7. (Philippines Department of Tourism-Korea)The Migrants Arirang Multicultural Festival -- Korea’s largest celebration for foreign residents -- was held in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, from Oct. 5-7, feting Korea’s multiculturalism through art, dance, music and food. This year’s event featured the Philippines as the main host, with numerous Fil

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 15, 2018

Costa Rica, a country prioritizing sustainability in Central America, looks to South Korea for greater cooperation based on shared values of peace and dialogue, multilateralism, sustainable development and human emancipation, its first lady Claudia Dobles Camargo told The Korea Herald in an exclusive interview.Dobles Camargo came to Korea last week to strengthen bilateral ties and celebrate the 197th anniversary of Costa Rican independence, which fell on Sept. 15. Her agenda focused on vitalizin

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 15, 2018

The world must hasten its economic decarbonization via energy transition to prevent the worst of global environmental catastrophes, said Germany’s leading climate experts, adding nuclear energy will be driven out by market forces. With the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report urging the global community to take drastic measures to limit the increase in the Earth’s temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, moving away from fossil fuels is “inevitable,” stressed scientists Peter Henni

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 15, 2018

With the two Koreas upping their efforts at rapprochement, a reunified Germany looks to the Korean Peninsula with particular interest and passion, said Germany’s top envoy to Korea, adding that Berlin and Seoul are important partners in an “alliance for multilateralism.” “As a reunited country celebrating the 28th anniversary of unification, Germany is looking with a particular interest to the Korean Peninsula. People in Germany feel for Koreans. We see Korea as an important value-based partner

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 8, 2018

British Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox said that Britain and Korea could become more prosperous after Brexit by liberalizing and “unlocking” wealth in the two countries’ services industries. The Conservative Party politician is an arch-Brexiteer, and has consistently made the case that Britain’s future prosperity lies beyond being part of the European Union in engaging Asia’s booming economic powerhouses. “I have been speaking to companies that operate in the Korean market,

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 8, 2018

The Indian Embassy in Seoul has begun a two-year commemoration of national hero Mohandas K. Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, ahead of the 150th anniversary of his birth next year. The diplomatic mission is preparing for a series of events to mark the legacy of India’s foremost freedom fighter, who waged a nonviolent struggle against British colonial rule and inspired the world toward peace.“Mahatma Gandhi, who was born on Oct. 2, 1869, is revered in India as Bapu, the father of the nati

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 8, 2018

As a gay person living in Ireland in the 1980s, life was difficult for Rory O’Neill, who is now the country’s foremost drag queen and LGBTI rights activist. Over the past 35 years, however, Ireland, thought of as a traditionally conservative Catholic nation, has undergone profound transformations, so much so that the country legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. Ireland’s experience of toleration of minorities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, has made the countr

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 8, 2018

Nepal is progressing economically and democratically following the overthrow of monarchy and transformation into a republican state in 2008, according to the country’s top envoy to Korea. Nepalese Ambassador Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh said that the country has moved on to an era of “peace, stability and prosperity” after last year’s successful federal, provincial and local elections. “After our historic people’s movement of 2006 that overthrew the monarchy, Nepal became a federal republic in May 2

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 1, 2018

On the back of a bilateral free trade agreement that entered into force in 2004, Chile and South Korea are enhancing two-way trade and investment in comprehensive areas and diversifying their export products, Chile’s top envoy to Korea said during a National Day reception on Sept. 18. The free trade accord -- the first signed by Chile with an Asian country -- has increased bilateral trade at an average of 10 percent a year over the last 15 years, said Chilean Ambassador to Korea Fernando Danus d

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 1, 2018

Participants perform traditional music at the Ganesh Chaturthi festival at Seoul National University on Sept. 16. (Rohidas Arote)Indian communities in Korea on Sept. 16 celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Hindu god Ganesha and India’s landmark festival, at Seoul National University. Some 400 Indians, Koreans and international participants from various parts of the country joined in the jubilant honoring of the elephant-headed deity associated with intelligence, knowledge, wisdom and pro

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 1, 2018

Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island (Visit Jeju)The ASEAN-Korea Center and United Nations Institute for Training and Research CIFAL Jeju will jointly organize a workshop for sustainable tourism and natural heritage promotion from Wednesday to Friday at the Jeju International Convention Center.International experts will deliver lectures on developing sustainable tourism programs to industry professionals from both the public and private sectors across the 10 member states of the Association of Sou

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 1, 2018