Korea's First Hybrid International Event to Held in Suwon

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jeong Jun-sung] The 4th Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers Forum, Korea's first hybrid international event, will be held at the Suwon Convention Center.

From the 5th to the 7th of next month, environmental ministers from 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region will discuss sustainable environmental issues including climate change and carbon neutrality.

In particular, the forum will convey the message "Keep Nature, Take Future" to the world.

This is to inform that protecting nature is a choice for achieving sustainable development goals and for future generations.

The significance of holding this forum, which will generate global efforts and behavioral changes regarding environmental issues that have gained attention since COVID-19, in Suwon—the "Environmental Capital"—is considerable.

It is Korea's first hybrid multilateral environmental conference held since the COVID-19 outbreak.

It is also the first in-person international conference led by the UN. We take a closer look at the Asia-Pacific Ministers Forum in advance. (Editor's Note)

First in-person international event after COVID-19 to be held at Suwon Convention Center

The forum, originally scheduled to be held in September last year, was repeatedly postponed as the COVID-19 pandemic continued globally from early last year. After coordinating the format and timing of the event, the hybrid event combining in-person and online participation is expected to provide an opportunity to glimpse the possibilities of "living with COVID-19" in the future.

In particular, Suwon City, hosting a UN-led international conference at the Suwon Convention Center, is expected to receive worldwide attention. With international conferences being held at the Suwon Convention Center, which was opened with the goal of fostering the MICE industry in Suwon City by attracting international conferences and exhibitions, Suwon can showcase its beautiful natural landscapes such as Gwanggyo Lake Park and cultural heritage such as Suwon Hwaseong to the world.

Suwon City has inscribed the text "1.5℃" in flowers on the side of the entrance stairs to the conference halls outside the Suwon Convention Center. This expresses the commitment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5℃ or below by 2100. The intention is to draw the attention of not only forum participants but also local residents.

Environmental ministers from 40 Asia-Pacific countries seek to strengthen action for nature

At the 4th Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers Forum hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and organized by the Ministry of Environment and Suwon City, 7 out of 40 member countries will attend in person, while the remaining countries, except North Korea which announced non-participation, will participate online.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts two conferences that discuss major environmental issues and recommend international cooperation and policies in the environmental sector.

First, the high-level meeting on the 6th will open with remarks from Dechen Tsering, UNEP Asia-Pacific Regional Director, and is expected to reach an agreement on a high-level report. At this time, government delegations and senior representatives from home and abroad will attend a banquet at the Suwon Traditional Culture Center, where they can view the spectacular scenery of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Suwon Hwaseong.

On the 7th, the opening ceremony of the ministerial-level meeting will be held under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, and discussions will take place on the theme of "Strengthening Nature Action to Achieve Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific Region," and an outcome document will be adopted based on the high-level report. Mayor Yeom Tae-young of Suwon City will preside over an official dinner following the ministerial-level meeting.

"Humane City Suwon Forum" proposing transition to humane living

Suwon City, the host city of the 4th Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers Forum, will support the forum's agenda through the "Asia-Pacific Urban Leaders Summit and Humane City Suwon Forum" on the 5th.

The Humane City Suwon Forum, which began in Suwon in 2016 to share experiences of major cities in the Asia-Pacific region and exchange policies to promote the creation of humane cities, will support this year's Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers Conference. The Humane City Suwon Forum, held as an ancillary event prior to the main conference, is hosted by Suwon City and organized by ICLEI Korea Office, CitiNet, and the Suwon Institute for Urban Policy Research. Experts and local government officials will discuss humane cities, carbon neutrality, nature-based solutions, and sustainable development, urging challenges for both humans and nature.

Participants in the Humane City Suwon Forum will envision the image of cities for humane living in an era of environmental crisis and discuss the roles and responsibilities of local governments in realizing this vision. Local governments, experts, and international organizations participating in the forum will adopt the "Asia-Pacific Urban Leaders Declaration" based on results derived from discussions. The declaration is expected to include commitments of support and cooperation from local governments to realize the central government's carbon neutrality by 2050.

Sustainable Development Film Festival with Citizens

Suwon citizens and those interested in environmental issues can participate in diverse ancillary events.

The "Sustainable Development Film Festival with Citizens," held for three days from the 7th to the 9th in the Event Hall on the B1 floor of the Suwon Convention Center, will screen works that give audiences time to reflect on the environment and life.

The opening film on the first day will be the French documentary "Recipe for a Better World (Director Benoît Bringer)," which tells a story about a better diet that protects the Earth using food as a subject.

On the 8th, films such as "Relocation (Director Jeong Seung-oh)," which examines patriarchy through five siblings gathered for the relocation of their father's grave, and the documentary "Way to School (Director Kim Jung-in)," which sheds light on conflicts surrounding the establishment of a special school and its backstory, will be screened.

On the final day, the 9th, "We Are in the ABC of Relationships (Director Lee In-ui)" and works by Suwon citizens will be screened. Through neighbor stories such as "Maeng Soon's Vegetable Garden (Park Im-ja)," which captures the story of elderly people finding vitality through vegetable gardening in the city, the documentary "Good Bye Gyeongje-dong District 10 (Song Eun-jung, Ha Jae-hee, Hong Jong-hee)," which documents tangible and intangible history of redevelopment areas, and "Walking with Children (Song Jin-young)," the story of a Seodun-dong resident talking about home with her child, audiences can have time to reflect on the environment and life.

Meanwhile, Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young said, "It is an urgent time for the world to practice climate action through solidarity and cooperation transcending regions and borders," and added, "Since the work of setting a new milestone for global environmental policy after COVID-19 begins in Suwon, we will continue to prepare safely and thoroughly until the end."