The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST) will host the 2022 City of Culture Expo and Global Conference at Jeju International Convention Center in Seogwipo, the City of Culture, from October 26 to 29 in collaboration with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (Governor OH Yeong hun), Seogwipo (Mayor LEE Jong-woo), the National City of Culture Council (Chaired by Gimhae City, Mayor HONG Tae-yong), and the Regional Culture and Development Agency.

The Expo will bring together 18 Cities of Culture in Korea under the theme “Each City Is Unique for Its Own Culture” to share ways to further enrich local residents’ lives by utilizing the cultural resources unique to each city and achieve continued progress. It also aims to identify the future direction for the new administration’s City of Culture initiative through exchanges with cities globally recognized for cultural dynamism.

Global Conference (October 26) to Identify the Future Direction for Cities of Culture

The Global Conference, scheduled to be held on October 26, will open with the keynote speech (“Culture and Local Development”) by Professor Pier Luigi Sacco from Italy. It will then proceed to presentations and case studies in three sessions, including a panel discussion and a conference between the Cities of Culture of Korea and the UK.

The theme of Session I is “Local Development Based on Culture.” Head of the OECD Local Employment, Skills, and Social Innovation Division Karen Maguire and Professor MO Jong-rin of Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies will give presentations on “Job Creation and Local Economy Boosting Based on Culture” and “Local Development Led by Local Actors of Culture,” respectively. To wrap up the session, Bologna’s advancement achieved through the European Capital of Culture program, Cheonan’s development through the cultural industry, and Pohang’s progress through the convergence of the steel industry and art will be introduced as success cases.

In Session II, held under the theme “Cultural Engagement and Community Innovation,” Professor Henry Jenkins of the University of Southern California and Dr. HYEONG Hye-gyeong of Jeju Research Institute will present on “Urban Imagination for Advancing Urban Innovation” and “Urban Innovation Based on Local Culture,” respectively.

Session III will feature a discussion on the future direction for Cities of Culture participated in by the presenters and attendees of Sessions I and II and chaired by Professor LEE Tae-jun of KDI School of Public Policy and Management. It will also hold an online conference bringing together five Cities of Culture in Korea (Bupyeong-gu, Suwon-si, Cheongju-si, Gimhae-si, and Seogwipo-si) and three UK cities (Edinburgh, Leeds, and Bradford) to discuss ways to expand exchanges.

Operating the Exhibition Hall (October 27-29) to Share the Achievements of the 18 Officially Designated Cities of Culture and Offer Visitor-Engaging Events

The Expo, held from October 27 to 29, will showcase a variety of events, including the opening ceremony, exhibitions of the 18 Cities of Culture to share their achievements, a promotional exhibition for the City of Culture initiative, and a special exhibition on Seogwipo. It will also feature a presentation on the candidate cities for the fifth-generation Cities of Culture designated this September and a Seogwipo tourism program. At the opening ceremony, outstanding Cities of Culture and those who contributed to Cities of Culture achievements will be awarded commendations from the MCST.

All exhibition halls will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. on October 27. The promotional hall of the City of Culture initiative will feature exhibits introducing the design plans for the 18 Cities of Culture, cases of projects led by local residents, major outcomes, expected results in five years, and the cities’ future visions. In particular, Seogwipo, which was selected as a leading city in the performance evaluation in 2021, will design its entire exhibit as an authentic Jeju-do tangerine warehouse to highlight the island’s cultural heritage in its unvarnished form. Detailed information on the each city’s exhibits and events can be viewed on the official Expo site (www.cocexpo.kr).

The Expo is open to all, from officials from local governments and related institutions to individual citizens. Those wishing to take part must register in advance on the official Expo site (www.cocexpo.kr) from October 17 to 25.