Information technology and globalization have certainly caused problems ― the loss of privacy like never before, cyber crime, even terrorism come to mind.
But the centripetal force of globalization and information technology might also offer a potential for cross-cultural and international collaboration. They could create the possibility for peace.
The French and German Embassies in Korea are celebrating IT’s potential for peace with an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Franco-German Treaty of Friendship at Platoon Kunsthalle in southern Seoul.
The treaty was signed by Charles de Gaulle of France and Charles Adenauer of Germany on Jan. 22, 1963.
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This photo still is from a video to be screened at the “Digital Peace 2013” exhibition’s all night short film and video festival to be held at Platoon Kunsthalle in southern Seoul on April 13. |
“Digital Peace 2013,” a four-events-in-four-months exhibition celebrates Franco-German friendship with digital art, film, music, dance, even a “digital peace lab.” The exhibition showcased Korean, German and French DJs, VJs and WJs on opening night on March 9. The following exhibition dates are April 13, May 11 and June 22.
The exhibition coincides with spring, “a season of digital peace,” organizers said in a press statement.
“We thought it was very important to commemorate this anniversary here in Korea but we did not want to commemorate it in a nostalgic way remembering it as something that happened 50 years ago,” French Ambassador to Korea Jerome Pasquier said during a press conference on Monday. “French-German friendship is a living reality.”
“What we want to show is that this friendship is very active, especially in the field of culture and that is why we are celebrating this friendship with a modern cultural program.”
The opening night of the exhibition was March 9 and featured Radiomentale of France, DJ DeWalta and VJ LaLa of Germany, and Korea-based DJ Soo Lee with VJ Individualist.
By Philip Iglauer (
ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)