Gwangju City and Kyoto City: Cross-Border Cultural Partnership
Exploring Practical Cooperation Focused on Culture and Youth
Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province has joined hands with Kyoto City, Japan's leading historical and cultural city, to build a future-oriented cooperative relationship.
Bang Se-hwan, Mayor of Gwangju City (right), is on an official visit to Kyoto City, Japan, for a 2-night, 3-day schedule from the 15th to the 17th. Provided by Gyeonggi Gwangju City
On January 19, Gwangju City announced that it had officially visited Kyoto City, Japan, for a three-day, two-night schedule from January 15 to 17. This visit was organized as a return visit following Kyoto City's delegation to Gwangju last April, with the aim of strengthening friendly relations between the two cities and exploring practical exchange and cooperation measures.
The delegation, consisting of 10 members including Mayor Bang Sehwan and City Council Chairman Heo Kyunghaeng, toured Kyoto City Hall and major cultural facilities during their stay, exchanging a wide range of opinions on ways to expand cooperation.
On the afternoon of January 16, the delegation held an official meeting at Kyoto City Hall with Mayor Koji Matsui, City Council Chairman Akira Shimomura, and other Kyoto City officials, engaging in in-depth discussions on the future direction of exchanges between the two cities.
Mayor Bang Se-hwan of Gwangju City officially visited Kyoto City, Japan, for a three-day, two-night schedule from the 15th to the 17th and is taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Gyeonggi Gwangju City
Both sides held in-depth discussions on practical cooperation measures, focusing on the following: expanding exchanges in the fields of culture and arts, promoting exchange programs involving youth and citizen participation, and strengthening friendly cooperation between local governments.
At the meeting, Mayor Bang Sehwan stated, "I hope that our encounter with Kyoto City, where tradition and modernity harmonize, will lead to practical exchanges that citizens can truly experience, going beyond simple friendship." He also officially invited a Kyoto City delegation to the "2026 Gyeonggi Province Sports Festival," which will be held in Gwangju City this April.
In response, Koji Matsui, Mayor of Kyoto City, said, "Both cities share the commonality of pursuing the succession of tradition and development in the modern era. I hope that continuous exchanges will continue in various fields, including civic groups and youth, in the future."
Mayor Bang Sehyun of Gwangju City has been on an official visit to Kyoto, Japan, for a three-day, two-night schedule from the 15th to the 17th, inspecting the Rokubei Kiln. Provided by Gyeonggi Gwangju City
Meanwhile, Gwangju City plans to gradually expand the scope of exchanges with Kyoto City, using this visit as an opportunity, and to strengthen its status as a 'global cultural city' through citizen-centered international exchange programs.
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