Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City and the Korea Heritage Service Sign an MOU for the Successful Hosting of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Heritage Service (Administrator Heo Min) today (December 12) at 2:00 p.m. in the main conference room of the Korea Heritage Service at the Government Complex Daejeon, for the successful hosting of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The signing ceremony was attended by Seong Heui-yeob, Vice Mayor for Future Innovation of Busan Metropolitan City, and Choi Bo-geun, Vice Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service.

This agreement was arranged to establish a cooperative framework between the two institutions for the successful hosting of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (hereinafter, the “World Heritage Committee”), the world’s largest international event related to World Heritage, which will be held for the first time in Korea in Busan next July.

Areas of cooperation between the two parties include support for personnel and budget, the creation of a favorable international conference environment through the use of Busan Metropolitan City’s infrastructure, and the promotion of K-heritage through World Heritage–linked programs.

During the event period, Busan Metropolitan City plans to organize a variety of side events making use of the city’s unique cultural and tourism resources, in order to provide an unforgettable experience for delegations from the 196 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and participants from around the world.

These efforts include operating marine healing tourism programs unique to Busan, such as beach yoga, and offering opportunities to view reenactments of the Joseon Tongsinsa processions.

In particular, as “Sites of Busan, the Provisional Capital during the Korean War” were selected for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List this November, Busan Metropolitan City plans to use the hosting of the World Heritage Committee as an opportunity to prepare a wide range of linked programs showcasing the host city’s rich cultural assets.

The city also plans to develop travel courses utilizing the heritage sites of Provisional Capital Busan and operate heritage field trips that allow participants and citizens to visit national heritage sites, thereby increasing interest in World Heritage.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the successful hosting of the World Heritage Committee, Busan Metropolitan City has been working closely not only with the Korea Heritage Service but also with related organizations such as the Busan Tourism Organization, BEXCO, the Busan Cinema Center, and the Busan Cultural Foundation, while actively carrying out various promotional activities to raise awareness of the event.

As part of these efforts, Busan Metropolitan City formed the “Busan World Heritage Committee Promotion Working Council,” comprising relevant organizations and the 11 heritage sites of Provisional Capital Busan, and held its first meeting on December 2. At the meeting, participants discussed event-related matters and agreed to cooperate toward the successful hosting of the World Heritage Committee. In addition, the city has been installing and operating promotional booths in connection with large-scale events such as the National Sports Festival (including events for athletes with disabilities), the Busan Fireworks Festival, and Christmas Village, in an effort to spread awareness of the significance of the event and its hosting in Busan.

Seong Heui-yeob, Vice Mayor for Future Innovation of Busan Metropolitan City, is expected to state, “The World Heritage Committee presents a prime opportunity to showcase Busan’s attractive cultural and tourism resources to the world,” adding, “As the host city of the World Heritage Committee, Busan will work to the utmost, together with the Korea Heritage Service, to establish itself as a ‘global cultural hub city.’”