By Reporter Lee jon young

SK Innovation announced its participation as an official sponsor of the “World Choir Games Gangneung 2023,” which was held from July 3 to 13 in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea, to spread messages of courage and hope to people around the world after COVID-19.

Along with the sponsorship, SK Innovation is also carrying out promotional activities to support Busan’s bid to host the World Expo 2030 at the venue of the Gangneung event. 

As Gangneung was successfully selected as the host of the World Choir Games after the fierce competition of 36 countries, the company wishes to spread the same hope to the case of Busan’s bid for World Expo.

World Choir Games is the largest global choral competition organized by the Interkultur Foundation to bring nations closer by singing together. 2023 marks the 12th time it was held since the first event in Linz, Austria, in 2000. This year, about 8,000 musicians from 323 teams across 34 countries participate in the competition under the theme of “Peace and Prosperity for All”.

Along with the promotional activities held at SK Innovation’s booth at the World Choir Game this time, the company also supports special performances on the days of the award ceremonies, July 6 and 12. 

Eins Baum Wind Chamber and Dream with Ensemble, previous Grand Prize winners of the Great Music Festival (GMF), a festival for artists with developmental disabilities in South Korea, are going to perform orchestra and clarinet ensembles, adding the meaningful harmony. SK Innovation has been sponsoring GMF since 2017, supporting those who have developmental disabilities to communicate with society through music.

As for the promotion booth of SK Innovation to support the World Expo 2030 Busan, it is taking place at the main venue of Gangneung Arena on the first and last day of the World Choir Games 2023. The booth consists of a photo zone where SK Innovation’s mascot, “Happy Elephant,” and Busan Metropolitan City’s mascot, “Boogi (Busan Seagull),” cheer for the hosting of the Expo, as well as an event experience zone. Visitors who post messages on social media wishing for the hosting of the World Expo 2030 Busan will be given gifts, such as t-shirts made from recycled plastic waste and laptop stands made from recycled paper.

An SK Innovation official said, “We will do our best to ensure the successful conclusion of the ‘World Choir Games Gangneung 2023,’ where people from all over the world gather to sing ‘Peace and Prosperity for All’ and the successful bid for the World Expo 2030 Busan.”