Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed that culture ultimately leads humanity as he hosted a dinner banquet for the Unesco World Heritage Committee gathering in the southeastern city of Busan on Sunday.
“I believe that what leads humanity are not guns or swords — it is culture,” Lee said in his welcoming remarks at the banquet marking the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan. “I once again welcome the World Heritage Committee being held here in Korea, which has long lasting heritage, and I hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy the night scenery of Korea.”
The dinner at Busan’s Bexco convention hall was attended by some 50 dignitaries including Unesco Director-General Khaled El-Enany, Teresa Patricio, president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos), delegations from the member states of the World Heritage Committee, government officials, first lady Kim Hea Kyung and Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo.
El-Enany thanked Lee for Korea’s “warm hospitality,” noting that this session marks one of the biggest World Heritage Committee gatherings with 3,000 registered participants
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“We see heritage much more than sites,” El-Enany said. “They are the community, they are life, they are memories, and we are all determined to safeguard this heritage for the coming and future generations. Thank you for the very warm hospitality, and I my thanks for the Republic of Korea for 76 years of very strong partnership with Unesco.”
Mayor Chun stressed that it is a “profound honor for Busan to host this meaningful gathering where the shared heritage humanity is discussed” and recalled the port city’s history as a wartime capital during the 1950-53 Korean War.
“Busan, where we are gathered this evening, holds particular significance in the history of the Republic of Korea,” Chun said. “More than 70 years ago amid the devastation of the Korean War, Busan stood as the nation’s last bastion and served as its wartime capital. Today, it has become a global city that draws a constant stream of visitors from all around the world.”
Chun, in a toast, encouraged visitors to fully experience Busan’s beautiful seascape, mountains, rivers and nighttime scenery during their stay.
Earlier Sunday, Lee held talks with El-Enany and viewed an exhibition at the World Heritage Committee’s Korea Pavilion. They later attended the opening ceremony for the Unesco World Heritage Committee session co-organized by the Korea Heritage Service and Unesco.
The 10-day gathering brings together delegates some 196 member states, international organizations and nongovernmental entities.
The dinner banquet menu was prepared under the theme of “The land of Busan, the table of Korea,” combining Busan’s natural ingredients and Korea’s refined culinary traditions, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement.
The meal began with amuse-bouche including seasoned ginseng, shredded prickly pear and black sesame chips, followed by assorted appetizers such as Daejeo tomatoes, cold seafood salad and wheat wraps.
This was followed by sweet pumpkin tarakjuk(milk and rice porridge), grilled golden snapper, pajeon(scallion pancake) and japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) wrapped in lotus leave.
For the main course, Gimhae hanwoo(Korean beef) galbijjim(braised short ribs) with aged soy sauce, a five-colored rice bowl and wanjatang (meatball soup) were served.
Seasonal fruits, omija seolhwapyeon(a Korean red five-flavor berry rice cake) and buckwheat tea were served for dessert. Munbaeju, a Korean traditional distilled liquor with a fruity wild pear scent designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1986, was served for the toast.
The banquet hall drew inspiration from the colors and traditional patterns, such as the tortoise shell motif of Nakseonjae Hall of Changdeok Palace, which was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997, the Blue House said.
During the banquet, which lasted over an hour, President Lee expressed his hope that the guests’ time spent in Busan would “remain a,” Kang said, and wished for the successful hosting of the committee meeting
