May 19, 2009 (WAM) - A 33-man UAE National Band of Folklore Arts captivated 1,500 plus Korean audience with exotic music and dancing at the National Theater of Korean in downtown Seoul yesterday. The event was part of cultural exchange programs between Korea and the Arab World organized by the Korea-Arab Society which was inaugurated in 2007 with over 300 high profile government personalities, Korean officials and businessmen as well as Arab government officials and businessmen from 22 Arab countries taking an active part. UAE Ambassador to Korea Abdulla Al-Maaina said that the new event is a good chance provided to the Arab civilization and culture to introduce their diversified and numerous components to the Korean people.

In his speech made at the event, he said that this diversification and multi-culturalism in the Arab world should be viewed as a positive thing and as a good model of a region located geographically at the center of the world. He then expressed his thanks to H. E. Abdul Rahman Al-Owais, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, for his generous initiative by issuing his directions for the participation in this cultural festival. Among those who joined the UAE cultural event were E. Sakong Il, President of Korea-Arab Society, Kwon Jong-rak, Vice Foreign Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Al-Taee, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman, Dean of Arab Ambassadors and Vice President of the Society as well as a number of ambassadors of Arab countries.