‘Turn Toward Busan’ on Nov. 11
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A record-breaking moment of silence
Busan invites 100,000 people to join in an online commemoration campaign on Oct. 30 with an aim to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records
At 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 the world will turn and bow towards Busan.
An event will pay tribute to the 2,300 people from 11 nations who fought and died during the 1950-53 Korean War. They are buried at the world’s only UN cemetery, the Busan UN Memorial Cemetery.
This year, citizens around the world are invited to join the “Turn Toward Busan” campaign starting with a moment of silence at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 (Korea time) to commemorate the fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate price during the Korean War.
Busan Metropolitan City and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) are launching a full-scale campaign to turn the event into a global commemoration ceremony.
The website (www.turntowardbusan.com) is open on Oct. 30 to encourage people to join in the event via mobile and website. The site invites everyone, including leaders, politicians, celebrities and citizens around the world, not to mention war veterans and the families of the deceased soldiers, to upload their commemoration messages with their own pictures.
The aim is to attract more than 100,000 people so that “Turn Toward Busan” will make it into the Guinness World Records.
Busan Metropolitan City and MPVA plan to promote the event all around the world in cooperation with not only local organizations but also the UN, overseas public offices and national embassies.
High-profile people such as President Park Geun-hye, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other leaders of countries are encouraged to make videos that invite people worldwide to join in the commemoration. There will also be cooperation with the 21 nations that fought in the Korean War so that people in those countries can participate in the event. The joint effort involves various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have a wide network around the world.
Korean War correspondent and President of the Canadian Korean War Commemoration Association Vincent Courtenay initiated the “Turn Toward Busan” ceremony in 2007 to remember and honor the legacy and sacrifices of the fallen Korean War veterans. He suggested an annual minute of silence at the Busan UN Memorial Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.
The first event was held on Nov. 11 in 2007 when Korean War veteran soldiers from seven nations including the U.S., England, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and France took up the invitation. In 2008, the MPVA upgraded it to a governmental event, and since then, it has risen to become a global event.
In conjunction with the event, the Busan UN Memorial Cemetery is also hosting a commemoration ceremony by inviting Korean War veterans and bereaved families. Having one minute of silence at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 means that everyone becomes “one,” going beyond the border in praying for peace.
Nov. 11 is the anniversary that marks the end of World War I as well as Memorial Day for commonwealth countries including England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is Veterans’ Day in the U.S.
- How to participate
To participate in the event “Turn Toward Busan,” go to www.turntowardbusan.com and click on “Participate.” In the pop-up, choose your favorite SNS type. After that, log in or input your email address and then click “Email Verification.” After uploading a picture of your face, click on “Participation Completed.”
The source of news: Dynamic Busan
