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| A logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Switzerland features the two countries' national flowers mugunghwa, right, and edelweiss. Courtesy of Swiss Embassy in Seoul |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korea and Switzerland established diplomatic relations on Feb. 11, 60 years ago. The Swiss Embassy in Seoul scheduled over 25 events throughout this year to commemorate the occasion.
To begin the celebration, the embassy released a teaser video highlighting the two countries' friendship through traditional paper cutting craft and a logo that symbolizes their national flowers, mugunghwa (rose of Sharon) and edelweiss.
"I look forward to a year filled with opportunities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and deepen our friendship and collaboration with the Republic of Korea," Ambassador of Switzerland to Korea Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli said.
The embassy also launched swisskorea60.org, a special website dedicated to the 60th-anniversary celebrations, introducing a series of events in the domains of politics, economy, science, business, tourism and culture.
Among the highlights, the Korea-Switzerland Innovation Week in May will explore the current state of innovation in both countries, while the Gyeongui Line Forest Park near Hongik University will be transformed into a Swiss Street in April to showcase Switzerland's culture and tourism. Various events will emphasize Swiss design during autumn.
As an official partner city of the anniversary year, the Swiss city of Basel, renowned for its rich culture and thriving chemical and pharmaceutical industries, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Seoul last year to enhance collaboration. In this regard, a variety of events will be held to advance ties in the areas of life science, innovation and urbanism.
The official logo, featuring the two national flowers, can be used by institutions or organizations which are interested in participating in the commemoration. For more information, contact the Swiss Embassy in Seoul or visit the anniversary website.
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