SEOUL. September 16, 2010. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and the Embassy of Mexico have the honor to inform that Mexico will commemorate its Bicentennial Anniversary of Independence on September 16, 2010. For such occasion, the Embassy has prepared a message from H. E. Martha Ortiz de Rosas, Ambassador of Mexico, and a background paper regarding current Mexican-Korean relations.
Message from H. E. Martha Ortiz de Rosas, Ambassador of Mexico in Korea
I would like to cordially invite Mexicans and friends of Mexico in the Republic of Korea, to celebrate Mexico's Bicentennial Anniversary of the War of Independence, an 11-year-struggle that initiated in 1810.
In that year, priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla led Indians, Mestizos and other ethnic groups against three hundred years of Spanish colonial rule. In an impassioned speech delivered in his church in the town of Dolores - known as the Cry of Dolores - Hidalgo exhorted the People to fight for independence from Spain. This struggle continued under the leadership of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavón until 1821.
Ever since, each year on September 16, the President of Mexico along with Ambassadors and Consuls of Mexico from abroad, reenact "the Cry of Dolores" which includes the summoning of the people, the ringing of bells, and the passionate exhortation to fight for freedom.
This year represents a special year for Mexico and wide arrays of preparations are being held to celebrate such an occasion. For instance, the Stela of Light has been constructed in Mexico City, an enormous monument inspired by the Mayan stela. The monument is made up of 1,700 pieces, including quartz, is 104 meters tall and produces the effect that light emanates from itself.
As part of the celebrations, all Heads of State with whom Mexico has diplomatic relations have been personally invited to attend an official ceremony with a comprehensive program of cultural activities. The Government of Mexico will provide a free HD transmission to all news and media agencies worldwide to share this 200 year anniversary with the world.
In the Republic of Korea, there will be no exception and all Mexicans will gather up at the Latin American Cultural Center and Museum in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, hosted jointly by the Ambassador of Mexico in Korea, Martha Ortiz de Rosas and former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Mexico, and recipient of Mexico's Order of the Aztec Eagle, H. E. Lee Bokhyung.
Among the many activities scheduled for this month in Korea are: The II Mexican Food Festival at the Millennium Hilton Hotel, in which a renowned Mexican chef will delight us with delicious recipes from Mexican cuisine, the XI Mexican Film Festival at Seoul Cinematheque (traveling to four cities including Gwangju, Daegu, Daejeon, and Jeonju) and the Mexican Literature Film Festival at the Korea Foundation, from September 14 to 25.
Also, the Government of Mexico has decided to confer a distinctive honor to the Republic of Korea by granting a Bicentennial Collection to Seoul National University.
Mexico's Bicentennial Collection comprises of 208 volumes donated by the National Council of Arts, the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the National Institute of Fine Arts, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
The donation of the Bicentennial Collection will facilitate access to students, professors, researchers and other entities, to Mexico's history, literature, gastronomy and contemporary events.
This act represents a significant effort in providing more Spanish resources in the Republic of Korea. Spanish is a fast-growing and widely spoken language of more than 400 million speakers and Mexico represents the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. It is also recognized as an official working language of the United Nations.
