By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

A delegation of the Embassy of Mongolia in Seoul visited Changwon City, Gyeongnam on May 15 to ensure the success of the Migrants’ Arirang Multicultural Festival (MAMF) 2025, a cultural diversity festival. Mongolia is the host country of the MAMF 2025.

The visit was organized to check the status of preparations for the festival and discuss ways to collaborate with the Mongolian side on the overall event.

MAMF is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and will be held from Oct. 24 to 26 at Yongji Cultural Park, Seongsan Art Hall, and Jungang-daero with the theme “20 Years of Together, Forgetting Differences, Connecting Next”.

The city has heralded this year's festival as a turning point in the festival's status and completeness, and has announced various changes.

As the host country's content, the festival will significantly expand programs that allow visitors to experience local culture, such as a traditional Mongolian wrestling tournament, Ger experience, and a fair of Mongolian products.

The 70-member Mongolian National Madugum Orchestra will perform in concert with traditional Korean performing arts groups.

The core program, the Cultural Diversity Parade, will be enhanced by inviting professional teams and enhancing costumes and props. Major stages such as Migrants Arirang and the World Music Festival will aim to expand migrant audiences by enhancing the popularity of invited singers.

Booths for traditional games from around the world and programs commemorating the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity will be held along Jungang Boulevard. The festival will also be organized in collaboration with local universities to encourage the voluntary participation of young people.

“This year's host country, Mongolia, is a partner that will exemplify the values of coexistence and inclusion that MAMF strives for,” said Acting Changwon City Mayor Jang Geum-yong. ”We will support MAMF to grow beyond the region and become a national flagship festival.”

This year, MAMF has appointed Professor Yoo Young-jae of Kyungnam University as its general director, and Mongolian basketball player Lee Geun-hwi and Cambodian billiards player Sruong Pheavy as honorary ambassadors.

The festival will consist of more than 20 programs, including host country cultural events, a cultural diversity parade, Migrants Arirang, and a migrant song festival.