ROK’s Chuncheon city honors the late Ethiopian athlete Abebe Bikila

Addis Ababa, March 16, 2024 (FBC) – Ethiopian Embassy in the Republic of Korea, along with Chuncheon city (the sister city of Addis Ababa in ROK), hosted “bare foot” running experience with Gangwon Physical Middle & High School’s students to honor legendary Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila and to share Ethiopian’s sports heritage and promote cultural exchange between the Ethiopia and the Republic of Korea centered on students on March 15th in Chuncheon city.

This “bare foot” running experience was led by Mr. Ermias Ayele who was the former Race Director of Great Ethiopian Run, the Embassy stated.

During this event, Mr. Ermias Ayele noted that Abebe Bikila who won gold medal in Rome Olympic by running on barefoot. He also emphasized that Ethiopian veterans who made history during the Korean War had the same resilience like him. Mr. Ermias stressed the importance of sharing story resilience for the Korean students to achieve their dream.

In addition, Mr Ermias underlined that such events enable to share culture and forge people-to- people relations between the two nations.

After the briefing, the students (some on barefoot) perform warm-up exercises, jogging and running competition. In the event the Chuncheon city administration officials, Gangwon Physical Middle & High School’s teachers and students have participated.

In addition to the “bare foot” running experience, Mr. Ermias Ayele with the embassy staff, the president of Ethiopian students associations in the Republic of Korea and Chunchon city administration officials made a visit to Korean War Ethiopian Veterans Memorial Hall and “Ethiopia bet” coffee shop.