■ The Great Music Festival (GMF) for people with developmental disabilities held in Budapest, Hungary, where SK On’s European subsidiary is located, on June 15 (local time)

■ SK On Hungary said to improve awareness of developmental disabilities and bring empathy in the community

The Great Music Festival (GMF), sponsored by SK Innovation, is making its debut in Europe after being hosted in Korea and the U.S. The event received a warm welcome and attention from the local community to support the growth of people with developmental disabilities through discovering and nurturing their musical talent.

SK Innovation announced on the 16^th that it held “GMF in Hungary” on the 15^th (local time) at the Korean Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary. This was the first time GMF was held in Europe. The event was attended by about 50 people, including officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Hungary, the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), Korean Cultural Center in Hungary, Korean Cultural Center in Hungary, and representatives of SK On Hungary, as well as the Hungarian Music Association for the Developmentally Disabled “A Zene Mindenkié.”

GMF is a music festival for people with developmental disabilities, discovering the musical talents and supporting their dreams and hopes. Since its beginning in 2017, GMF has grown to become the largest music festival for people with developmental disabilities in Korea, with 191 performance teams and 2,070 participants to date.

“GMF in Hungary” marks the second time GMF being held outside Korea, following “GMF in USA” took place in Atlanta, Georgia, the U.S. in October last year. This event carries the meaning of bringing hope and courage through music and coexistence with the Hungarian community, where SK On’s European subsidiary is located.

Last November, SK Innovation and SK On delivered 5 million HUF (approximately USD 13,500) to A Zene Mindenkié to support quality education and purchase of necessary instruments for musicians with developmental disabilities in Hungary. With this support, Parapillék, a member of the Hungarian Music Association for the Developmentally Disabled, developed its skills through systematic training over the past six months and successfully made their debut at “GMF in Hungary”. Other performers of the event include Paráfonia, an orchestra of the Hungarian Music Association for the Developmentally Disabled, and the Korean – Hungarian choir Noremoá.

“Through ‘GMF in Hungary,’ we hope to improve awareness of people with developmental disabilities, and prove that they can grow independently”, said Cho Dae-hee, CEO of SK On Hungary. “We will continue to work with the local community to ensure proper awareness and support for the people developmental disabilities.”

[Photo 1, 2] A team of people with developmental disabilities is performing at the “GMF in Hungary” held in Budapest, Hungary, on June 15^th (local time).