From August 21 to 24, the SUN (the Silk-Road Universities Network) co-sponsored by the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the Office of the South Korean North Gyeongsang Province was established. More than 100 presidents and scholars from 34 universities in 22 countries along the Silk Road including China, Korea, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the United States, Russia, Poland and Egypt participated in the ceremony. President Wang Cheng was invited to attend the inaugural meeting, accompanied by Yuan Honggeng, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Prof. Zheng Binglin, Dean of School of History and Culture, LZU, was selected as the president of "SUN Academic Committee".
SUN aims to develop a harmonious relationship between institutions of higher education, promote values and spirit of the Silk Road through exchanges and education. During the meeting, President Wang Cheng and Prof. Inchul Kim, President of the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, discussed to further strengthen cooperation between the two universities.
After the opening ceremony, Prof. Zheng Binglin made the first keynote speech entitled "Early Opening of the Silk Road", pointing out that the Silk Road was the eternal smooth way of exchanging Eastern and Western civilizations. The SUN Academic Committee was composed of scholars dedicated to the study of the Silk Road, with Prof. Zheng Binling elected as the first president. At the seminar, Wei Yingchun, associate professor, and Wu Jiongjiong, lecturer of the School of History and Culture, LZU, made grouped reports respectively.
Meanwhile, the grand opening ceremony of the month-long "2015 Gyeongju Silk Road Festival" was held at the Gyeongju World Culture Expo Park.
(Translated by Li Yafeng; proofread by Sissi Xu)
