S. Korean island to host 3rd int`l `culture olympics`

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Jeju Island will host the third
International Delphic Games, a global cultural contest, in September with more
than 1,500 people from 40 different countries planning to attend, officials in
Seoul said Tuesday.
Under the theme "Turning into Nature," the event will be held Sept. 9-15 on the
resort island. Competitions include 18 games in music, visual and performing
arts, design, architecture and communicative art, officials of the Jeju Delphic
Committee said.
Organizers are also preparing dozens of music and dance performances during the
non-competition events, which will include "Maestro," "Break-dance and Hip Hop"
and "The Delphic Bar - Global Food Festival."
Originating from the ancient Greek culture and art contests held every four years
at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delph, the Delphic games were reborn following the
establishment of the International Delphic Committee in 1994.
The event in South Korea is expected to be the largest so far. Twenty-seven
countries attended the first Delphic games in Russia and 21 countries attended
the 2005 games in Malaysia, officials said.
Anyone aged 19 and older can sign up to compete at www.delphic2009.com.
Participants will be given free lodging.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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