A delegation from Okayama City, Japan, a friendly international exchange city, officially visited Bucheon City from July 2nd to 3rd, further solidifying the deep friendship and practical exchange between the two cities. This visit aimed to revitalize cultural and policy exchange, including attendance at the opening of the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN). The delegation, led by Okayama Mayor Masao Omori, consisted of 40 members, including a citizens' visiting group. Okayama City has steadily continued its exchange with Bucheon City since establishing a sister-city relationship in 2002, spanning over two decades. Notably, in November of last year, it became the first international exchange city to sign an agreement allowing citizens of both cities to receive discounts on tourist facility usage fees when visiting each other, thereby paving the way for practical citizen exchange.

Exploring Policy Exchange and Cultural Observation to Seek Mutual Growth for Both Cities 

On July 2nd, the Okayama City delegation visited the Bucheon City Council, where they had a tea meeting with the chairman and toured the main hall, closely observing the legislative activities of Bucheon City. Following this, to understand one of Bucheon City's core policies, the UNESCO Creative Cities policy, they visited the Literature Creative City Promotion Center and were introduced to various literary contents of Bucheon. That evening, during an official welcome dinner following a reception with Bucheon Mayor Jo Yong-ik at the City Hall, an honorary citizenship plaque was awarded to Hiroshi Taguchi, Chairman of the Okayama City Council, confirming the special bond between the two cities. Traditional dance performances and commemorative photos added to the sense of hospitality, proceeding in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

The next day, July 3rd, the Okayama City Council delegation conducted a policy training session to benchmark Bucheon City's advanced policies. In particular, they visited the Ojeong Senior Welfare Center to observe the 'Byeolbitmaru Library' and 'Smart Senior Citizen Center' projects, showing keen interest in the citizen welfare policies promoted by Bucheon City. The Byeolbitmaru Library was established by Bucheon City to enhance citizens' access to reading and strengthen its role as a multi-cultural complex, drawing attention for its innovative spatial configuration and diverse programs. The Smart Senior Citizen Center project is a pioneering initiative by Bucheon City that utilizes information and communication technology (ICT) to promote the health and leisure activities of seniors in preparation for an aging society. During the same period, the citizens' visiting group revisited Okayama Hill, located within Sangdong Lake Park, to recall the long-standing friendship between the two cities, and visited the Korea Manhwa Museum to experience Korea's unique comic culture, broadening the scope of cultural exchange.

BIFAN Opening Ceremony Attendance and a Deeper Token of Friendship 

During this visit, the NH Nonghyup Bucheon City Branch presented 'Bokssagol Eutteum Rice,' a local specialty of Bucheon City, as a souvenir to the Okayama City delegation, further deepening the friendship between the two cities. This thoughtful hospitality left a deep impression on the Okayama City delegation. As the final schedule of their visit to Bucheon, the delegation attended the red carpet event of the '29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival' at the Bucheon Arts Center, experiencing Bucheon's representative cultural event firsthand by attending the film festival's opening ceremony. The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival is a leading fantastic film festival in Asia, attracting the attention of filmmakers worldwide every year.

Strengthening Cooperation Between UNESCO Creative Cities, Steps Towards the Future 

Bucheon City expects to further broaden the foundation for practical cooperation, encompassing administrative, cultural, and citizen exchanges, through this visit from Okayama City. The significance is particularly great in that the two cities, both designated as UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature, have laid the groundwork for future diverse exchanges, including literary content exchange and joint creation projects. Bucheon City was selected as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature in 2017, and Okayama City in 2018, both emphasizing literature as a core value of their cities. These commonalities are expected to be an important foundation for even closer cooperation in the future.

Bucheon Mayor Jo Yong-ik emphasized, "This exchange with the Okayama City delegation is more than just a goodwill visit; it will be a model case for the two cities to grow together based on cultural and administrative cooperation." He added, "We will continue to raise Bucheon City's global status through continuous international exchange." The visit by the Okayama City delegation marked an important occasion demonstrating that Bucheon City and Okayama City have built a future-oriented partnership for practical cooperation and mutual growth, beyond a simple sister-city relationship.

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