Korea opens its first Unesco World Heritage Committee in Busan with calls for peace and cooperation

To protect heritage is not just about preserving the past but about forging the culture and the future of a society, a message emphasized during Sunday's opening ceremony for the Unesco World Heritage Committee, held in Korea for the first time in the southeastern port city of Busan.

Co-organized by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) and Unesco, the commencement ceremony of the 48th Unesco World Heritage Committee at Busan's Bexco convention hall was attended by key dignitaries, including President Lee Jae Myung, Unesco Director-General Khaled El-Enany, KHS Administrator Huh Min and Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Chun Jae-soo.

Delegations from some 196 countries are expected to discuss key agenda items, including evaluating new World Heritage site nominations and reviewing the conservation status of listed sites. The committee will convene through July 29.

The committee session's celebratory show began with traditional performances, including a demonstration by the royal guard of Gyeongbok Palace and a rendition of the Ilmu court dance. K-pop star G-Dragon then gave the event a modern touch with a special appearance as the honorary ambassador of the monumental event.

"Safeguarding heritage is not merely about preserving the past, but about building peace for the future," the singer said. 

G-Dragon further expressed his hope that the small gestures of commitment to protecting World Heritage originating in Busan would blossom into a grand peace that connects the entire world, according to the heritage service.

As part of the pre-ceremony program, the event's honored guests toured the K-Heritage House, an official pavilion established to commemorate the committee session being held in Korea. The pavilion is set to officially open on Monday and run through July 29 at Bexco Exhibition Center 1.

President Lee welcomed delegations from around the world in his opening remarks. He emphasized the critical importance of dialogue and international cooperation through the power of culture and heritage in an era of conflict and division, as well as Korea's strong commitment to connecting the world through the "power of culture" and leading peace and cooperation alongside Unesco.

Unesco's El-Enany expressed his gratitude for Korea’s hosting of the Committee session and its significant contributions to the World Heritage Convention.

Unesco's committee chairperson Lee Byong-hyun will formally open the committee session on Monday morning with a message of harmony and cooperation under one roof, "just like the roof of the Jongmyo Shrine featured in the committee's emblem," according to the KHS.

He will especially draw attention to severe threats currently facing World Heritage, such as destruction caused by war and damage from climate change.

Lee will also underscore the urgent need for solidarity and cooperation within the international community, drawing a historical parallel to how nations united to save Egypt's Abu Simbel temples from submersion in 1968 after the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Korea has deployed 60 undergraduate and graduate students as "World Heritage Navigators" to help the participants navigate the event and to ensure that delegations experience a seamless stay.

The committee organizers published World Heritage Magazine, which features stories of Korea's World Heritage, alongside a special edition of the World Heritage Map illustrating the locations of World Heritage sites globally. Both publications are available in three languages: Korean, English and French. 

A craft exhibition, titled "Invitation to Korean Craft," opened at Shinsegae Centum City in Busan in tandem with the committee and will run through July 30. It features 149 works by 29 Korean artists working across a range of media, including metalwork, lacquerware, ceramics, hanji (traditional Korean paper made from mulberry trees), textiles and glass.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]