"Ciao! Italia," a festival celebrating Italian culture in South Korea, opened Friday evening at the Santorini Outdoor Performance Hall in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.
Now in its sixth year, Ciao! Italia is a flagship international cultural exchange event organized jointly by the city of Chuncheon and the Italian Embassy in Seoul.
The festival brings together local residents, travelers and Italians living in Korea to experience the culture, arts and cuisine of both countries. It has also expanded into healthcare and education exchanges, establishing itself as a broader international exchange platform.
Running through Sunday, the festival extends beyond the Santorini Outdoor Performance Hall to venues across Chuncheon, including a global liquor market, the Chuncheon Agricultural Technology Center and the Chuncheon City Library.
Major programs — including cooking classes, wine and cheese workshops and humanities lectures — were fully booked during pre-registration. On-site programs such as film screenings and an Italian market are also scheduled.
A formal dinner held ahead of the opening ceremony brought together officials from Chuncheon city and the Italian Embassy, along with prominent guests from home and abroad, to share ideas for cooperation in culture, tourism and education and reaffirm their commitment to ongoing exchange.
The opening ceremony began at 7:30 p.m. at the Santorini Outdoor Performance Hall with a traditional Korean dance performance. Hosted by broadcaster Alberto Mondi and announcer Kim Si-a, the event drew a range of international guests — among them Ghana's Ambassador to South Korea Choi Go-jo, representatives of the Korea-Africa Foundation, a delegation from Changzhou, China, a sister city of Chuncheon, and Vietnamese fire department officials participating in a global fire leadership program — adding to the occasion's significance as an international exchange.
Following the opening ceremony, a Korea-Italy friendship concert featured Italian performers alongside Korean guest acts, with music from both countries represented on stage.
A highlight of the evening was the debut performance by the Chuncheon Happy Choir, a 40-member ensemble of Chuncheon residents, whose harmonies filled the early summer night. The choir's participation was particularly meaningful, with citizens taking a direct role in the international exchange through music.
In his welcoming remarks, Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han said he hoped the festival would allow residents to experience Italian music, flavors, sensibility and stories up close, and to feel "the deep resonance that culture brings — like a brief journey woven into everyday life." He added that he hoped the event would "color early summer more beautifully and become a time of friendship connecting Chuncheon and Italy."
Meanwhile, healthcare and education exchange programs also took place on the festival's opening day.
Gangwon University Hospital hosted an academic conference under the theme "Aria Sana, Vita Sana" (Healthy Air, Healthy Life), focusing on climate change and children's lung health. Medical professionals and officials from Korea and abroad shared research on how climate change affects children's health and discussed possible responses, adding an international dimension to the festival's medical exchange component.
At Bongui High School, Italian singer-songwriter Shorelle led a songwriting workshop for students majoring in practical music. The students engaged directly with a working musician, learning about the composition process and sharing musical experiences. The workshop gave young people a chance to broaden their artistic horizons and explore career paths through international cultural exchange.
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