Changwon in Festive Mood for Ramsar

Foreign children dye textiles using natural ingredients during an event Monday in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province where the Ramsar Convention is underway. / Korea Times Photo by Lee Sung-deok

By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

CHANGWON ― The southeastern city of Changwon, the host city of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, is in a festive mood as the ``Environment Olympics'' kicked off Tuesday for an eight-day run here.

This is the largest-ever international convention in the city.

Numerous green flags and banners featuring the meeting's official logo and welcoming message fluttered in the breeze on the main thoroughfares of the city. Thousands of colorful paper lanterns, made by children, also lined the Changwon Exhibition Convention Center (CECO), the main venue for the Ramsar Convention. Fields around CECO have already become the stage for a variety of events and exhibitions for the triennial meeting.

``People in Changwon have high expectations for the meeting,'' said Kim Won-seok, a member of the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of South Gyeongsang Province, showing Korean traditional carving skills. ``We believe this will serve as a stepping stone for the government to pay more attention to not only the wetlands but also other environmental protection issues.''

Taxi driver Kim Young-soo added, ``Thanks to this, I have seen an increase in the number of tourists to Changwon. I hope this meeting will help revive the city's sagging economy.''

As of Tuesday morning, more than 680 delegates from 146 contracting parties, six non-contracting parties and several environmental NGOs arrived at the venue as convention officials forecast that the number of participants would reach 1,700.

The pressroom on the second floor of CECO was bustling with nearly 300 reporters from home and abroad.

More than 300 volunteers were there to make the convention run smoothly.

Volunteer Sung Hyun, 12, said, ``By participating in the convention, I will have more knowledge about wetlands and know how they play an important part in keeping our environment healthy.''

Police have been on high alert since Monday as high-ranking officials including President Lee Myung-bak participated in the opening ceremony.

According to regional authorities, more than 250 police officers and security guards have been mobilized in order to tighten security around the venue.

pss@koreatinmes.co.kr

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