THE International Mask Arts and Culture Organization (Imaco) that is based in South Korea is promoting Bacolod City and its MassKara Festival to Korea and the rest of the world, through the staging of the 7th Imaco International Conference to be hosted by this city in November 2019.
"The Imaco International Conference will promote Bacolod to the world, connect Bacolod to Korea, and mobilize Korean civil associations, that are sending volunteers abroad, to go to Bacolod City," Imaco secretary-general Yoon Byung-Jin said.
The Imaco official and his staff, namely, Jinuk Jason Lee, Dawon Ginny Lee, and Seah Chloe Son, and World Tour Travel Agency chief executive officer Sang Kwang Cho were in Bacolod City on April 30 and May 1 to conduct site inspection of hotels and facilities to be used as billeting and venues of the Imaco International Conference next year.
The Imaco official and his staff had a preliminary meeting with the Local Organizing Committee, composed of chairman Mayor Evelio Leonardia, vice chairman Councilor Em Ang, Secretariat head Executive Assistant Rodel Parcon, and members City Administrator John Orola, City Tourism Officer Ma. Elma Gerasmo, acting PIO head Danny Dangcalan, City Budget Officer Imelda Williams, Executive Assistants Benjie Torre, and Celestino Guara, acting Assistant City Engineer Amy Tentia, Imogene Kanaan, and Tere Manalili.
Leonardia said, "The MassKara Festival now really belongs to the world. We are now among the world's most prominent mask festivals. We are truly proud of our very own MassKara Festival which is actually our people's creation."
The Imaco delegation briefed the local organizing committee on the requirements of hosting the international event.
Ang said about 300 delegates from various countries are expected to attend the mask convention in Bacolod.
Imaco, which has 68 member-countries, is a group of international festivals that use masks or are anchored on a mask.
Ang said the mask convention is being held every two years in the month of November. It was last held in Vientiane, Laos in 2017.
In Laos, Leonardia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the hosting privilege in 2019, with Imaco president Kweon Young-sae, who is also the mayor of Andong City, Korea.
Bacolod has sisterhood ties with Andong. (PR)