- A panorama of multicultural harmony, drawing around 2,000 participants -

- Deputy Mayor Ha Byung-pil: “We will build a true community through communication and inclusion” -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that the city government successfully hosted the 18th Together Day celebration on May 17 at Aetteul Square, located in front of the City Hall.

Together Day, held annually on May 20, was established as a national commemorative day in 2007 to foster a multicultural society where people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds can better understand and coexist with one another. This year marked the 18th anniversary of the event.

Around 2,000 participants gathered at the event, including members of the Incheon Vietnamese Community, the Pakistan Business Association, the Incheon Bangladeshi Community, the Korea-China Multicultural Exchange Association, and various other foreign resident organizations. The festivities began with cultural performances, including an erhu recital—a traditional Chinese string instrument—and a dynamic traditional Mongolian dance, setting a vibrant tone for the event.

At the official ceremony, awards were given to individuals and exemplary foreign workers who have contributed notably to helping foreign residents integrate into the local community. The performances were followed by a “harmony gourd-breaking” event, where guests and foreign residents cracked gourds together while attendees waved international flags to celebrate Together Day. The event concluded with a special performance by the Global Children’s Choir, composed of children from multicultural families and local Korean children.

Throughout the venue, visitors had the opportunity to explore cultural booths featuring traditional games and costume experiences from 11 countries, including Madagascar, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Indonesia—providing hands-on engagement with global cultures. Additional attractions such as traditional Korean games, a police experience program, and CPR training were also available, receiving positive responses from the public.

A children’s drawing contest was held as a side event, inviting young participants to express their thoughts and impressions of multiculturalism and foreign communities through art. The Incheon Art Association will review the submitted entries, with winners to be announced in June.

Incheon Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs Ha Byeong-pil stated, “Together Day is a national observance created to foster a social environment where we understand and respect each other’s cultures, beyond differences in nationality, language, and tradition. As Incheon is a city enriched by diverse cultures, I hope this event serves as a meaningful step toward building a truly inclusive local community where citizens and foreign residents can engage with and grow alongside one another.”