Seoul: Thousands of global delegates gathered in Busan as the UNESCO World Heritage Committee opened its annual session for the first time in the country with a ceremony attended by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Around 3,000 participants from 196 member states, international organizations, and nongovernmental entities are expected to attend the 10-day meeting at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in the port city, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to organizers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this marks the first time South Korea has hosted the meeting since joining the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1988. Key figures attending the ceremony included UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, Assistant Director-General for Culture Nayef Al-Fayez, and Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Center. In a congratulatory address, President Lee emphasized that world heritage is a symbol uniting humanity across borders and serves as a foundation for peace and cooperation.
"The world can foster mutual respect for each other's history and strengthen trust and solidarity within the global community in the process of jointly preserving and remembering world heritage," Lee stated. Highlighting the nation's emergence as a cultural powerhouse, he added, "We will work with the international community to build a more peaceful and prosperous future together with UNESCO."
El-Enany noted that South Korea has so far inscribed 17 sites on the World Heritage List, saying they reflect "the diversity of Korean history." Expressing appreciation to the South Korean government and the city of Busan, he said the committee would work over the next 10 days to "revitalize the world through the living power of culture."
The opening ceremony featured performances showcasing Korean culture's past, present, and future, including a reenactment of a traditional gate-opening ceremony by royal guards of Gyeongbok Palace and modern reinterpretations of traditional dances. K-pop star G-Dragon, serving as an honorary ambassador for the session, highlighted the role of art in safeguarding heritage and expressed his readiness to contribute to global efforts to protect World Heritage sites.
As UNESCO's key decision-making body for cultural and natural heritage, the committee reviews nominations for inscription, assesses conservation status, and discusses broader policy issues related to the convention. The 48th session, chaired by Lee Byong-hyun, a former South Korean ambassador to UNESCO, will review 33 proposals, including a proposed extension of South Korea's "Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats" site.
The committee is also expected to discuss Japan's implementation of follow-up measures for the Sado mine World Heritage site. The draft decision recommends Japan take further steps to adequately reflect the mine's "whole history" regarding the wartime mobilization of Korean laborers. The draft decision is likely to be adopted during the 48th session unless member states object.
Additionally, attention is on whether the session will adopt a "Busan declaration," introducing "collaboration" as an additional strategic objective alongside the committee's existing five "C" priorities for effective implementation of the World Heritage Convention. This proposed addition reflects growing calls within UNESCO to strengthen international cooperation in addressing complex challenges facing heritage sites, including climate change.