A delegation representing Seoul Metropolitan City, led by the Special Adviser on Policy, Park Jea-Won has paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Accra at the City Hall to explore possible exchanges in the areas of education and culture. 

The delegation, visiting Ghana from April 28th to 30th, is concluding a collaboration with the Ghana Commission for UNESCO aimed at strengthening student and cultural exchange programmes between South Korea and Ghana.

Seocho-Gu, a district within Seoul Metropolitan City, is renowned for technology, housing the headquarters of Samsung and Hyundai Motors. 

The Secretary-General of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO, Ama Serwah Neequaye-Tetteh, who was part of the delegation, highlighted the significance of the delegation's visit, emphasising the connection between Seoul Metropolitan City and Accra through UNESCO's ASPnet programme.

"The connection with Seoul Metropolitan City began through UNESCO, specifically through the ASPnet program. We have ASPnet schools in Accra, Ho, Kumasi, and Tamale. Therefore, for this initial exchange, we are focusing on ASPnet schools. The delegation wanted to visit these schools, speak with the children, and understand their backgrounds," said Nerquaye-Tetteh.

She emphasised that this visit was just the beginning of what they hoped would be a fruitful collaboration. "This is the first of many exchanges, and we are pleased to have a representative of the regional director's office present. We have informed them of our plans," she added.

Neequaye-Tetteh explained that schools showing interest in UNESCO's work would be given priority for participation. "Already, we have successfully implemented a peace programme with some schools, and as a result, we are beginning to establish relationships with them. We will then open up the UNESCO Schools Network to them so that they can all benefit from it in the future."

The Special Adviser on Policy, for the city of Seocho-gu, Park Jae-Won ⁩ expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome received in Ghana and emphasised the importance of the visit in strengthening the relationship between the two cities.

"It's a great honour to be here and to receive such a warm welcome. We are very grateful for the hospitality extended to us during our visit to Ghana," said the Deputy Mayor.

He acknowledged that this visit marked the beginning of a deeper relationship between Seoul Metropolitan City and Accra. "This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a long and fruitful relationship between our two cities," he added.

Drawing from his 20 years of experience in policy work, he expressed his willingness to share skills and expertise to further enhance the relationship between Seoul Metropolitan City and Accra.

"We believe that this cultural exchange programme is just the first step. It's not going to be a one-time exchange. Instead, it's the starting point for many more activities between our two countries," he explained.

Looking ahead, he expressed excitement about future meetings with the Mayor of Accra and the Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City. "In the future, we are looking forward to meetings with the Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City and the Mayor of Accra. We are eager to continue building on this relationship," he concluded.

The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey who welcomed the delegation, emphasised the importance of international cooperation in promoting cultural understanding and educational development.

"We are honoured to host the delegation from Seoul Metropolitan City. This visit marks an important step towards strengthening the bond between our two cities. Through educational and cultural exchanges, we can enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between our communities," she said. 

"I see your visit as a goal, not just a destination. I am thrilled to have you join me in this work. I wouldn't want to waste any time. Let's get to work. Since light has a speed, we will work at the speed of light," she added. 

She highlighted the importance of collaborating particularly in the area of fishmongering, noting that in Accra, the citizenry was largely fishmongers. 

The collaboration between Seoul Metropolitan City and Accra is expected to, among other things, result in the development of robust student exchange programmes and cultural initiatives, further deepening the ties between South Korea and Ghana.