Five residents honored at 32nd Namyangju Citizens' Day ceremony
Namyangju held its 32nd Citizens' Day ceremony Thursday at the Namyangju Sports and Culture Center indoor gymnasium, drawing about 1,000 residents and guests.
The ceremony was organized to express gratitude to residents who have helped drive the city's development and to share the vision of a "civic sovereignty" era in which residents take center stage.
The program featured a congratulatory and commemorative video screening, a reading of the Citizens' Charter, a commendation ceremony presenting the Citizens' Award and citations from the city council speaker and National Assembly lawmakers, an address and congratulatory remarks, a celebratory performance, and a community sing-along in which attendees participated directly.
The ceremony opened with performances by singer Lim Jae-yong and a cappella group Voicetoy. Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and mayors and county chiefs from sister cities then delivered congratulatory remarks, followed by a video of well-wishes and encouragement filmed by residents themselves.
Marking the 32nd anniversary of Citizens' Day, two local residents who are also 32 years old this year — Jang Jae-won and Kim Won-gyeong — took the stage as community representatives to read the Citizens' Charter aloud, adding meaning to the occasion by reflecting on its significance.
An awards ceremony recognized residents who have contributed to the community. This year's Citizens' Award went to five recipients: Kim Myo-sil in social service, Kwon Sun-wook in culture and arts, Lim Jeong-taek in industry and economy, Choi Min-gyeong in health and environment, and Yun Jong-yun in education and sports promotion. Twelve additional residents received citations from the Namyangju City Council speaker and National Assembly lawmakers representing the gap, eul and byeong districts.
The event closed with a joint performance by the Forever Choir, a coalition chorus from local children's centers, and the city's civic choir. During a rendition of "Sarangeuro," audience members joined in the singing, celebrating Citizens' Day and sharing a spirit of unity.
"It is you, the citizens, who have made today's Namyangju and who will shape tomorrow's Namyangju together," Namyangju Mayor Choi Hyeon-deok said. "No matter how much the city grows, it means nothing if the daily lives of each and every resident do not improve — so we will pay close attention to housing, care, transportation and culture."
He added that the city would build "a virtuous cycle of civic sovereignty — where the voices of citizens become policy, and that policy in turn transforms citizens' lives — to create a Namyangju where residents are the true protagonists."
pjh@heraldcorp.com
