Half a Century of Friendship Since 1970
A Model Case of Korea-Japan Local Diplomacy
The thousand-year-old city of Gyeongju and Nara City in Japan have revived over half a century of friendship through a photographic exhibition.
To commemorate the 55th anniversary of its sister city partnership with Nara, Gyeongju City held the “Gyeongju-Nara Sister City 55th Anniversary Photo Exhibition” on December 18 at the Expo Culture Center Exhibition Hall in Gyeongju Expo Grand Park.
This photo exhibition was organized as part of Gyeongju’s local and urban diplomacy strategies in preparation for the post-APEC era, as the city is set to host the 2025 APEC Summit.
The exhibition aims to reflect on the achievements of exchanges between Gyeongju and Nara over the past fifty years and to share a vision for sustainable international exchange with future generations.
Since establishing a sister city relationship with Nara in 1970, Gyeongju has maintained a model exchange relationship representing local diplomacy between Korea and Japan for 55 years, based on their shared historical and cultural assets as ancient capitals.
The exhibition features a total of 55 works, symbolizing the 55th anniversary: 40 photographs documenting exchanges between Gyeongju and Nara, and 15 award-winning entries from the Nara Citizen Photo Contest.
In particular, the award-winning photos from the Nara Citizen Photo Contest capture the scenery and sentiments of Nara as discovered by its citizens in their daily lives, offering a different perspective on the sister city’s charm compared to official archival photographs.
The opening ceremony was attended by key figures and exchange organization representatives, including former Gyeongju Mayor Lee Wonsik, who was the department head at the time of the sister city agreement, Lee Donghyeop, Chairman of the Gyeongju City Council, the President of the Gyeongju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, members of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council, and members of the Gyeongju City Council, all coming together to celebrate the half-century friendship between Gyeongju and Nara.
In his commemorative speech, Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyeong stated, “Gyeongju and Nara are special cities that have built trust and friendship for 55 years based on their shared history and culture as ancient capitals. This photo exhibition marks a meaningful starting point for Gyeongju to seek new roles and possibilities in local diplomacy in the post-APEC era.”
Nara Mayor Nakagawa Gen remarked, “The exchanges between Gyeongju and Nara, which have continued for 55 years, are a precious history created together by the citizens of both cities. I hope this photo exhibition not only reaffirms our longstanding friendship but also serves as a milestone as we move forward together toward the next 100 years.”
Meanwhile, the “Gyeongju-Nara Sister City 55th Anniversary Photo Exhibition” is open to all citizens free of charge, and it is expected that visitors will be able to experience firsthand the history, culture, and value of friendship shared by the two cities through the photographs.
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