Achieving world peace through art and culture: A declaration at the Busan International Cultural Forum

吉本光宏

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Busan Declaration for Peace and Cooperation through Arts and Culture

After the discussion, the forum concluded with the Busan Declaration of Peace and Partnership through Arts and Culture Embracing the UNESCO World Declaration on Cultural Diversity and the Spirit of Joseon Tongsinsa prepared by the Busan Cultural Foundation. It began with a preamble – ‘We, the participants of the Busan Culture Conference, came together in Busan, Republic of Korea on 4 May, 2023, to proudly declare our unwavering commitment to promoting world peace through arts and culture. We firmly believe that cultural policies should prioritise the goal of promoting peace, understanding, and sustainable development on the international agenda’ – before moving onto the following seven articles:

1. Cultural Diversity and Rights
2. Arts and Culture for Peace
3. Culture Policies for Sustainable Development
4. Cultural Diversity and Inclusiveness
5. Social Impact of Cultural Policies
6. Cultural Partnerships
7. Solidarity and Cooperation in Cultural Projects

Finally, under the headings 'Farewell to Arms, and Welcome to Arts and Culture', the declaration concluded with the following statement: “Let us unite and use the transformative power of arts and culture to save the world. We, the participants of the Busan Culture Conference, wholeheartedly advocate world peace and sustainability through cultural policies. We pledge our unwavering support to implement this declaration and invite governments, cultural institutions, civil society organisations, artists, and academics to join us in this global mission. Together, we can build a more just, equitable, and sustainable world by harnessing the power of culture to promote peace and partnership. … Now is the time for action. Let us come together and use the transformative power of arts and culture to build a better world for all.’

After the declaration was presented, guests of honour, officials from the conference organisers, and speakers at the conference each took to the stage with banners reading 'Peace', 'Culture', 'Art', and 'Cooperation'. This conclusion strongly reflected the passion and enthusiasm of the Busan Cultural Foundation for this conference.

Guests of honour, representatives of the host organisation, and others presenting the Busan Declaration (photo by the author)

Joseon Tongsinsa , a symbol of peaceful cultural exchange

Another backdrop to this international conference is the Joseon Tongsinsa – a cultural mission of several hundred people sent from Korea to Japan at the invitation of the Edo Shogunate. It was dispatched 12 times between 1607 and 1811, via Tsushima, Shimonoseki, various cities in the Seto Inland Sea, Osaka, Kyoto, and Shizuoka, to Tokyo (Edo), sometimes even visiting Nikko.

Various documents and records that tell the story of those days are still preserved in various places in Japan and Korea visited by the Joseon Tongsinsa. In 2017 they were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Heritage List. This was promoted by the Busan Cultural Foundation and the Japanese NPO Liaison Council of Joseon Tongsinsa (allied by Tsushima City, Setouchi City, Kyoto City, and other municipalities with a connection to the Joseon Tongsinsa).

It is said that the spirit of ‘Faith with Sincerity and Integrity’ (i.e. not deceiving or fighting each other but instead communicating honestly) advocated by Amemori Hoshu (1668–1775), a Confucian scholar from the Tsushima Clan, underlies the Joseon Tongsinsa. The Joseon Tongsinsa is indeed a symbol of peaceful diplomacy and cultural exchange – principles to which the Busan Cultural Conference has held true.

On 5 May, the second day of the conference, a Japan-Korea UNESCO Round-Table Meeting was held. Opinions were exchanged on the possibility of youth and teacher exchange between Korea and Japan in the spirit of the Joseon Tongsinsa.

As is well known, Japan-Korea relations, which were said to be at their worst in the post-war period, took a turn for the better with the policy change by South Korean President Yun. The visit of President Yun and his wife to Japan on 16 March and Prime Minister Kishida's visit to South Korea on 7 May marked the resumption of shuttle diplomacy that had long been interrupted. On 16 March, the day of President Yun's visit, the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Nippon Keidanren) and the Korean National Business Federation jointly announced the 'Japan-Korea Future Partnership' declaration, agreeing to establish the Japan-Korea and Korea-Japan Future Partnership Fund, respectively.

The Busan Cultural Conference, which coincidentally took place between the mutual visits of the presidents and prime ministers of the two countries, required vast amounts of time to plan and prepare, including coordination with UNESCO headquarters in Paris. It is based on the Foundation’s strong belief that it is precisely at a time when Japan and South Korea are in the midst of a political confrontation that cultural exchange is necessary, utilising the spirit and experience of the Joseon Tongsinsa. Although there was no direct reference to this at the conference, the theme of international peace through culture was undoubtedly set with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and developments in China and North Korea in mind.

At a time of deepening political conflict, I deeply sympathise with and respect the philosophy and attitude of the Busan Cultural Foundation, which aims to build international peace through culture. I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Achieving world peace through art and culture: A declaration at the Busan International Cultural Forum | ニッセイ基礎研究所