Heritage is not the past, but a resource of the future, and so maintaining continuity between the past and the present is important when it comes to urban development, a visiting UNESCO official said Thursday.

“Continuity, here, means understanding the past,” Assistance Director-General for Culture of UNESCO Francesco Bandarin told The Korea Herald. “Changes are forced by history … but it is important not to forget that nonphysical values do not change even if the physical appearance changes.”

Bandarin arrived in Korea Tuesday to attend the UNESCO Creative Cities Network’s third conference held in Seoul, which was designated the Creative City for Design in July last year.

“Seoul is not just a city of design,” Bandarin, visiting the city for the first time, said. “Cities like Seoul, who are capable of vision, are very important to the network.”

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is a fairly young project aimed at finding a member city’s cultural identity in the midst of a growing trend toward internationalism.

Currently joined by 29 cities from 19 countries -- including Seoul and Icheon in Korea -- the network classifies cities by literature, film, music, craft and folk Art, design, media arts and gastronomy.

Icheon, a small city adjacent to Seoul, has been designated as the city of craft.
Bandarin said the Nov. 16-17 conference in Seoul was “very interesting” with mayors presenting resourceful and down-to-earth plans related to their cities.

“We often speak about development in theoretical terms. But because these people are mayors, who are interfaces of society, the presentations felt very real,” the 60-year-old official said, calling the mayors “bricks of the building.” 

Next year’s conference will be held in Montreal.

Bandarin also met with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Wednesday.

With cities applying to be registered as a member of the Creative Cities Network randomly, UNESCO is trying to boost the program so that many more cities join the project within the next few years, Bandarin said.

Up to 10 smaller-sized cities in Korea, including Jeonju and Daegu, are preparing to apply for the project next year, according to the Korean National Commission for UNESCO.

Bandarin said the reviews are “very thorough and tough” with NGOs presenting independent evaluations, but the size or the strength of the city were not necessarily the key factors.

“The key factor is the definition of the activity,” he said. “We encourage all cities to join.”

Bandarin called Korea “a great partner” of UNESCO, especially as the international organization goes through a time of crisis with funding cuts from some member nations.

“Korea is a very valuable friend, especially needed during a crisis,” he said.

Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, will visit Seoul on Nov. 24 to attend the World Humanities Forum, according to Bandarin.

By Shin Hae-in (hayney@heraldcorp.com)