BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and members of the Bacolod Organizing Committee met with the South Korea officials and staff of International Mask Arts and Culture Organization (IMACO) to prepare for the IMACO International Conference 2019, at a coordination meeting at the Bacolod City Government Center on Aug 27, 2019.
The City of Bacolod is hosting the IMACO International Conference on Nov. 5- 8, 2019 with 200 delegates expected from 24-member countries.
The theme is, “Inside and Outside of Mask Culture: Masks, Practice, and Culture.”
The meeting was attended by members of the Bacolod Organizing Committee, with Leonardia as chairperson and former councilor Em Ang as vice-chairperson; and IMACO officials and staff, led by secretary-general Kil Sang Yoo.
Accompanying Yoo were team manager Gyoo Tae Do, staff members Dawon Ginny Lee, Hyunjin Kim, Jinuk Jason Lee, and Sang Kwang Cho, chief executive officer of the World Tour Travel Agency.
Yoo said the Bacolod conference is their biggest so far and they are preparing unique activities for it, like bringing a K-Pop group to hold a concert here.
The IMACO International Conference is supported by UNESCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and Cultural Heritage Administration of the Republic of Korea, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and Andong City.
INVITATION
In 2017, Bacolod City received an invitation to host the 7th IMACO International Conference in 2019.
Leonardia, accompanied by Ang, had signed a memorandum of understanding with IMACO president Kweon Young-sae to host the biennial conference at rites at the 6th IMACO International Conference in Vientiane, Lao PDR (People’s Democratic Republic), also known as Laos.
Kweon is also the mayor of Andong City, South Korea, that has sisterhood ties with Bacolod City.
Immediately after the signing ceremonies, Leonardia accepted the IMACO banner for the Philippines as the next host-country, with Bacolod as the host-city.
The mask conference was designed to preserve the mask culture, and provide an opportunity from representatives all over the world to unite and share various cultural values.
Activities included Mask and Art Road Performance, World Mask Exhibition, Policy Forum, General Assembly and Academic Symposium, Special Performances, and Tours. (PIO)
