Last Thursday (October 19), a unique meeting was held in our Garden, attended by representatives of three institutions, as well as artists and scientists from Poland and South Korea.

The guests were welcomed by the director of PAN Botanical Garden Arkadiusz Nowak. The Garden was also represented by Małgorzata Szymańczyk and Paweł Kojs. The ONGII Poland-Korea Cultural Association was represented by its president Goang Hyon Kim, as well as Mr. Władysław Gdowik and Mr. Tomasz Szołucha. The guest of honor was Lim Taek, mayor of the Dong-gu District City of the Gwangju Metropolitan Municipality of South Korea. Representatives of the three institutions signed an agreement on cultural cooperation.

Among the guests were Professor Stanislaw Brach, representing the Scientific Circle of the Ceramics Studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, as well as artists from Korea, who are preparing an exhibition of traditional Korean ongii ceramics on the grounds of the Botanical Garden starting Monday. This significant event will be part of the "Kimchi in Ongia" festival, which will take place on October 25 at 12 pm.

Many unique events are planned during the festival. One of the highlights of the program will be demonstrations and workshops on making traditional Korean onggi ceramics, which will be led by master Jeong Hee Chang. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the secrets of this noble craft.

Another element of the festival will be the opportunity to participate in a workshop on the culinary art of kimchi preparation, an important part of Korean culture and tradition, which will be led by Baek Geum Bi, a lecturer at Gwangju University and a certified Korean cuisine instructor.

The final event of the festival will be the burial of ongii with kimchi on the grounds of the Botanical Garden. The ongii will overwinter underground, and in the second half of March it will be unearthed and a kimchi tasting will be held. This symbolic burying and unearthing of ongii is an age-old tradition in Korea, and now in our Garden it is an expressive symbol of cultural unity.

Please join us on October 25 for the "Kimchi in Ongii" Festival, which will not only be an opportunity to learn and grow, but also a time to enjoy the beauty of Korean and Polish culture, discover their similarities and differences, and build international ties. This is a wonderful initiative by ONGII of the Poland-Korea Cultural Association, which inspires a deeper understanding and respect for the culture of other nations.