Panamanian Ambassador to Korea Aram B. Cisneros Naylor was awarded this year’s CQ Culture Prize for sharing the artwork of the Central American nation’s native Kuna people.

“Tonight’s event is the result of our growing friendship with CICI,” said Cisneros during an elegant “graduation” reception organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute at the Banyan Tree Club and Spa on Tuesday.

“Building friendships between organizations and countries is similar to people building a friendship,” he said.

Tuesday’s reception marked the completion of CICI’s 15th session. Cisneros arrived in Korea in November 2011 as his nation’s top diplomatic representative and joined CICI’s 14th session in the autumn of last year.

“I am glad they have given Panama the opportunity to bring Korea and Panama closer together because relations do not only consist of business ties, but also in the arts and culture as well. Mola art is an indigenous form of art of Panama’s Kuna,” he said.

Cisneros shared Mola panel costumes framed as artwork with reception attendees during the reception.

Mola is the traditional costume of the Central American Kuna, an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. Mola designs are worn as traditional outfits and are also used as designs for mats, wall tapestries and pillows.

The group organizes two sessions a year in which members meet up to share art, food and their cultural heritage. CICI’s “CQ” stands for Culture Quotient, and the group awards members in five areas ― culture, concentration, communication, creativity and cooperation.

Tuesday’s reception marked the end of CQ 15. Cho said 14 members have already signed up for the autumn’s CQ 16 session starting in late August.

CICI organizes popular forums for cultural exchange in the foreign diplomatic community here. Five foreign senior diplomats participated in Tuesday’s “graduation” reception, including envoys from France, Jordan, Indonesia and Slovakia.

CICI has been congratulating “graduates” of its semiannual CQ forums through 15 sessions. In addition to a slew of foreign ambassadors hundreds of VIPs in culture, business and politics have participated over the years, such as former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and classical music maestro Chung Myung-whun.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)