In The Near
Future: UNICA 2006 In Korea
The
UNICA Committee has a duty to visit the possible venues selected for the UNICA
Congress, clarify the questions that could arise and collect useful information
concerning future congresses. In general, this visit takes place one year before
the congress. There is an exception to this rule when the congress is held out
of Europe, as was the case in Argentina: this visit should then be made- in the
interests of the organiser and the participants, - two years before the
congress. For this reason, a delegation composed of committee members and their
partners (a total of 18 people) visited South Korea from 08 to 18 April, 2004 to
examine the situation with the Korean organisers of the UNICA 2006 congress and
get answers tovarious questions.
The visit - which had been prepared with remarkable talent
by Mr. Chang and Mr. Kwon was definitely well worth. it. After a warm welcome at
Seoul airport, the tour started and this very friendly and pleasant atmosphere
prevailed until the time of departure 11 days later. We became acquainted with
this country and some of its inhabitants and were pleased - and also astonished
- to observe that UNICA is a well known concept in the country, though Korea has
been a UNICA member for only two years.
Our
excursions were well prepared, timing had been carefully planned, and a very
diversified programme convinced us this was the work of professionals. That made
it possible for us to gain an idea of the life of the Koreans and also to
foresee what we could propose to participants in UNICA 2006. The extent of the
interest expressed by the industrial sector and the government agencies for our
project of UNICA 2006 in Korea also has was astonishing. We found the
confirmation of this impression in the fact that we were invited by two
municipalities (Seoul and Dae gu) and had discussions with municipal officials
of these cities, which was always associated with an invitation to taste the
Korean culinary specialities.
The city of DAEGU, the third largest in Korea, will host
our Congress and we could see that several sites are eligible as venues. We
reminded the organisers that the site of events and those of accommodation
should be at reasonable distance of each other. Though no final decision has
been made yet, we think that the Inter-Burgo Hotel in Daegu would best fit our
needs. We expressed this opinion to the UNICA 2006 organising committee 2006 and
we can assume that this wish will be fulfilled. The infrastructure and
equipment, with rooms and premises of adjustable sizes, seems to be ideal for
our purposes.
Considering
that there are some language problems for us in Korea, in particular away from
the international hotels, and although those are in most cases overcome by the
Koreans with a broad smile, we asked the organising committee to make an offer
for an all-inclusive tour (excepting the flight to and from Seoul) with
accommodation and full-board and all services and expenses linked to attending
the Congress itself. We had asked the Committee to organise our own tour under
these conditions and I can tell you without the least reservation that it was a
great success. The offer should also include the cost of the congress card. We
asked the organising committee to make a provisional offer to be set up along
the following lines:
- Flight and stay for those participants coming to attend
only the UNICA Congress, arriving in Seoul on Friday - or Saturday - and
leaving on Sunday (arriving in Europe the same day or the following day,
depending on the airline).
- Arriving in Seoul 3 or 4 days before the Congress,
sightseeing in and around Seoul before continuation to Daegu. Home journey
as under point 1. above.
- Arriving in Seoul 5 or 6 days before the beginning of
the Congress in Daegu. Extended tour with a program similar to what the
organisers had prepared for the UNICA Committee. Home journey as under point
1. above.
In all three cases, the return fare for the Seoul-to-Daegu
trip would be included. This would include transportation by bus, rail or air.
All three means of transportation are highly efficient and can be recommended.
What can participants in the UNICA 2006
Congress in Korea expect?
That
was the question for which our tour had to give an answer. Actually, the answers
were quite clear after the second day:
- a new world unknown to most of us, with men and women
of all age groups, friendly and radiant beyond all expectations.
- Even those members of the Committee who expected quite
a lot from Korea were more than enthusiastic about what Korean life and
culture has to offer. Not only could they see that there is next to no
Police to be seen in the streets or on the road - as there is not much to do
for them - but we were astonished by the high degree of cleanliness to be
observed everywhere - even in public restrooms. Generous expressways and
motorways (with up to 8 lanes) and well thought-out domestic air lines gave
us an excellent impression.
- The Koreans are endowed with a great sense of humour,
which obviously made contacts with them so easy and pleasant.
- And also a great cultural shock! But do not worry, it
is the kind of shock that does not hurt, but rather opens up a new world,
beyond all our expectations. Huge palaces emerging out of the depths of
history, markets testifying to the wealth of everyday life, national museums
displaying treasures in optimal fashion. And next to all this, high tech at
its best: a trade centre in the form of a 2-km wide block dedicated to
high-tech equipment with the full range of the latest products in relation
to film, video, radio, photo - displaying, not just 10 items of the latest
generation, but hundreds of them Video projectors with a power of up to 4000
lumen, produced by various manufacturers. What more could you ask for?
- And let's not forget Korean cuisine. Vegetables,
salads, sauces of all description, in various degrees of "hotness or
fieriness", dishes with fish and meat. However, those looking for a
good steak can also get satisfaction. Of course eating with chopsticks is
basic to Korean table manners, but forks and spoons are still available who
are desperately clumsy with those strange utensils Meals are served in two
different ways: the way which is familiar to most of us, i.e. sitting on
chairs in front of a table, and the Korean way for which you adopt the lotus
position, sitting on the hard ground... Both ways have to be tested as it is
a part of the Korean experience.
When the final decision has been made concerning the venue
for the UNICA 2006 Congress and the offers with the 3 above options have been
finalised, I can assure you that there is still lots of information to be shared
with you and that will make your mouth water even more and facilitate your own
decision about taking part. Indeed it will be a splendid occasion to prove that
the well-known expression
,,A UNICA Congress can also be great vacation TIME"
makes more sense than ever. This is what I had to say about the UNICA 2006
CONGRESS IN KOREA
Max Hansli (CHE), UNICA President