Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Launches the “Dream Green Expedition,” a 1 Kindergarten–1 Garden Initiative

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it is operating “Dream Green Expedition,” a program in which children cultivate gardens in small parks and children's parks, as part of the city’s park leisure programs.

The program is designed to allow children to experience the ecological value of plants firsthand through garden-making activities in parks located within a 15-minute living sphere, and to foster imagination and creativity.

A pilot program will be in place through December this year. The city is currently operating “Dream Green Expedition” with 24 children from the 7-year-old class of the City Hall Daycare Center at the Sky Garden, an open space located on the 4th floor of City Hall.

The program designates a section of the Sky Garden for children to cultivate themselves and includes hands-on classes such as gardening lessons and craft activities using natural materials, including collage and terrarium making.

• ●Collage: A visual art technique that creates new images by attaching various materials.

• ●Terrarium: A miniature ecosystem created in a sealed glass container in which plants and microorganisms coexist, allowing plants to be grown with diverse decorative elements.

Gardens created directly by the children will also be open for weekend family visits, contributing to creating “Child Happiness City, Busan,” where families can grow together.

Once this year’s pilot ends, beginning in March next year, Busan Metropolitan City will accept applications from kindergartens and district offices, select parks located within walking distance from each kindergarten, and officially implement the “Dream Green Expedition” program.

Next year, reflecting demand from kindergartens and districts, the city will select eight locations. For each selected district, one kindergarten and the nearest park will be paired to run a year-round garden-cultivation program. The city plans to gradually expand the program as a long-term initiative, and further details will be announced through districts once next year’s plan is finalized.

Ahn Cheol-soo, Director General of the Green City Bureau, stated, “This program aims to provide educational experiences on environmental protection through plant-based activities, while also offering play opportunities that make everyday gardening an enjoyable part of children’s lives. We will do our best to foster children’s sense of accomplishment through garden creation and to provide spaces for communication and healing that families can enjoy together at nearby parks within 15 minutes of their homes.”