Applied Materials Korea (CEO Park Kwang-sun), a global leader in materials engineering solutions, is sponsoring the ‘Traditional Culture Class with Applied Materials’ for the second consecutive year in collaboration with the child welfare organization Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation (hereafter Green Umbrella), providing arts and culture education opportunities to approximately 480 children at children’s centers in the southern Gyeonggi region.

The Traditional Culture Classroom is an experiential program that combines traditional mask making and mask dance movement experience, with the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, ‘Talchum’, as its core theme.

During this year's summer vacation period, 25 local children's centers in Seongnam, Icheon, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, etc. will operate four curricula: △Understanding traditional masks and mask dances, △Making your own mask, △Learning mask dance movements, and △Presentation and sharing of thoughts, to foster children's emotional stability, expressiveness, and community awareness.

Applied employees serve as assistant instructors, helping groups create masks and practice movements.

One employee who was on site said, “Children can freely use their creativity in the process of designing traditional masks with colors and shapes,” and “When they learn dance moves together, it is a moment when even an unfamiliar traditional culture feels like family.”

Park Gwang-seon, CEO of Applied Materials Korea, said, “Children in the local community will discover the value and fun of our traditional culture and experience the history and symbols contained in the mask dance with their whole body. He said, “I am happy to provide an opportunity to experience this traditional culture class,” and “I hope that the traditional culture class, which fosters cooperation and social-emotional skills, will become a meaningful foundation for the children’s growth.”

Applied is carrying out various social contribution activities throughout Asia, focusing on four core areas including sponsorship of this traditional culture class, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education program, and support for science classes.

In Korea, we are leading the way in expanding accessibility to culture and education in the local community by operating two educational initiatives in cooperation with Green Umbrella: science classrooms and traditional culture classrooms.