CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND OPENNESS: FOCUSED ON EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, PILSEN

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1 International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 10, Issue 02, February 2019, pp Article ID: IJCIET_10_02_145 Available online at ISSN Print: and ISSN Online: IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND OPENNESS: FOCUSED ON EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, PILSEN J. Y. Hong Minerva College, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Korea J. H. Kim* History and Culture Contents Dept., Sunmoon University, Asan, Korea *Corresponding author ABSTRACT We researched the strategies of Pilsen, which intends to meet the requirements of EU, to make the most of their own uniqueness, and to become an open city. Pilsen presents 'Openness' as the core of city strategies as shown in its slogan. The reasons why the slogan is Pilsen, Open Up! can be summarized into three categories. First, it shows the country's aspiration for change to the open society escaping from the closed traditional characteristics of Czech society that comes from historical experiences of the past totalitarian system. Second, it means Pilsen is opening up towards Europe and the world, and prior to it, they open themselves first. Third, this Open up can be interpreted in a variety of meanings depending on people and situations, and it can be used depending on their own circumstances. It can be learned that the European Capital of Culture Program has become a means to raise awareness and enjoyment of citizens' culture and to promote the identity of local culture Keywords: European Union, European Capital of Culture, Cultural Diversity, Pilsen, The Openness. Cite this Article: J. Y. Hong and J. H. Kim, Cultural Diversity and Openness: Focused on European Capital of Culture, Pilsen, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 10(2), 2019, pp EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, PILSEN Pilsen, a city in the Czech Republic, succeeded in showing off its aspect as European Capital of Culture in What uniqueness did make the city selected as European Capital of Culture, and with what contents did the city perform the event for one year? This study is editor@iaeme.com

2 Cultural Diversity and Openness: Focused on European Capital of Culture, Pilsen intended to research the city that planned new designs and filled it with contents for the development of the city. Through this, it is expected to build new wisdom of city development by learning creativity and uniqueness from totally different perspectives. The system of European Capital of Culture, a program performed by EU, selects one or two cities each year and grants the name of European Capital of Culture. In the selected cities, various cultural events are performed for one year, which affects promotion of the cities but also the development of city positively. To be selected as European Capital of Culture, two requirements should be met. The first one is the contribution to the whole Europe. This is the assessment about how the selected city can contribute to reinforcement of European unity. The second one is how well the city can show its own uniqueness. The city should utilize tangible and intangible cultural heritages and should present creative city designs and slogan along with actual contents that can show the city's own colors. Figure 1 European Union and European Capital of Culture [4] Pilsen, which is the fourth biggest city in the Czech Republic, is known for the city of beer. However, there are social problems in the city. Today's Czech society is very closed and unstable, and it has strong anxiety towards Europe and new things. Nevertheless, Pilsen, and furthermore the Czech Republic, tries to have a chance to collapse walls lying inside through European Capital of Culture. By changing the city, the country expects to come close to Europe and to function as cultural center of Europe. Since they know that this process would happen in one or two years, they prepare for the future of the city and citizens in the long run. Pilsen wants to open to Europe in natural, peaceful and innovative ways [3]. This city also wants to use its name, which means the most famous beer in the world, positively. In other words, the goal of Pilsen is to develop the city not only for beer fans but also as a cultural tourist site, so that it can arouse interest of people in Europe and other continents. They try to recover bad experiences of Czech citizens under the Soviet Union regime and to reorganize traditional value and cultural heritages lost during the era through European Capital of Culture. Of course this is one year event focusing on a small city of Pilsen, but it is expected to become a trigger to affect the whole country [3]. Figure 2 European Union [4] editor@iaeme.com

3 J. Y. Hong and J. H. Kim What is curious about cities selected as European Capital of Culture first is what slogans they present. Slogans seem to show the past and the future of the cities simultaneously. If slogans are looked into closely, they seem to be a combination of new future, hope and vision. Then, what is the slogan of Pilsen? It is Pilsen, Open Up! It aims to make the city of Pilsen a place of communication transcending culture, ethnicity and nationality as it is constantly transformed into a cultural city and is respected. First of all, let s consider what cultural background led to this main concept, and then analyze cultural programs reflecting the concept from various perspectives. 2. CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND CITY BRANDING In order to establish unique local identity and enhance its value, local distinctiveness and characteristics should be well expressed. More importantly, the established brand should have a persuasive power. [1] Pilsen is a city famous for its world-famous beer brand, Pilsner. The establishment of the brewery in 1842 played an important role in Pilsen s industrialization. The Czech Republic is the world's largest beer consumption country comparable to German, consuming 150 liters of beer annually per capita. Beer is always served in the Czech meal. Pilsner is Czech lager beer. The Pilsner beer factory and museum are an important tourism resource for Pilsen, and you can see signboards advertising Pilsner throughout the city. Therefore, the slogan "open up" naturally reflects the representative image of Pilsen, and it reveals the city s will to become a cultural city open to all beyond beer fans. However, the main concept of city branding is not limited to beer. Pilsen is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic. Pilsen is the center of administration and industry, with about 5% of the population in the Czech Republic. Cultural institutions and events are increasing in this city which is now home to theaters such as play, opera, ballet, operetta and playwriting in the city. Pilsen has a prosperous cultural realm and provides a high quality culture. However, it appears to be quiet and stable but in fact has major social problems that cannot be ignored in the city. Today, the Czech society is very closed, unstable, and strongly anxious about Europe and new things. Therefore, it tries to change the barriers of each individual through the European Capital of Culture. This hope and will is metaphorically expressed through the slogan "open up". Figure 3 Pilsen, the European Capital of Culture 2015 [5] Pilsen presents 'Openness' as the core of city strategies as shown in its slogan. The reasons why the slogan is Pilsen, Open Up! can be summarized into three categories. First, it shows the country's aspiration for change to the open society escaping from the closed traditional characteristics of Czech society that comes from historical experiences of the past totalitarian system. That is, they try to overcome their closed characteristics by escaping from the history of communism and to reinforce the city culturally, opening more to the world. Second, it means Pilsen is opening up towards Europe and the world, and prior to it, they open themselves first. To reveal internal suspicion and their shortcomings and to overcome distrust, they should listen various people's opinions and perspectives and respect them. To editor@iaeme.com

4 Cultural Diversity and Openness: Focused on European Capital of Culture, Pilsen do that, they have to open themselves first. To respect minority's opinions and minority groups with open mind, they have to open themselves first. Third, this Open up can be interpreted in a variety of meanings depending on people and situations, and it can be used depending on their own circumstances. In other words, the meaning of this phrase can be interpreted variously according to each person's imagination, environment and thought. Through this, using various meanings is recommended, and the meaning can be broadly used suitable for their interest. The meaning that the slogan Pilsen, Open Up! implies can be summarized as follows [6]. Openness as the courage for confrontation and public dialogue Openness towards new ideas, innovation and creativity Openness towards minority genres, streams and nationalities Openness, transparency and politeness in the whole process of Pilsen s candidature and in public affairs Openness towards other people, Europe and the whole world In the year 2015, 600 cultural events and experiences were held in Pilsen. From theater and music performances to festivals and meetings. In order to reflect various interpretations of the main concept of "open up", a cultural program was based on four detailed themes. It was inspired by the geographical location of the city centered around the four rivers around Pilsen. It is an idea that encompasses artistic, social, ecological, scientific, educational, and corporate values and is expressed in four main themes. The main concept of the European Capital of Culture of Pilsen is to maximize interconnection and cooperation across diverse sectors and genres. It is also gradually opening up to the world by being connected and integrated into the European network. The four themes are: Relationships and Emotions Transit and Minorities Arts and Technologies Stories and Sources These programs interpret and reflect the main concept of "open up" from various perspectives. Although we discussed openness Pilsen is aiming at above, let s discuss the meaning of openness of specific cultural programs in more detail. First, we can postulate openness to the outside world. This reflects the European dimension that is emphasized in the European Capital of Culture, and reflects the intention to show and interact with the people of the world. The second is the openness to cultural diversity. To this end, programs were designed to reveal the city's unique identity, and special programs for minority groups were created. Openness to cultural diversity is also linked to creativity and innovation, an important agenda of the European Union(EU). Creativity is based on openness and tolerance of cultural diversity. The third is the invigoration of creativity. The slogan "open up" reflects the image of a rise with openness, and lastly it is voluntary participation from citizens. Instead of top-down, a bottom-up approach to planning and operating also evokes the image of a rise. 3. THEME AND COMPOSITION OF THE PROGRAM 3.1. Openness to the world, Openness to cultural diversity The theme of Relationships and Emotion highlights the openness to the outside world. The purpose of this theme is to encourage the public to participate in discussions about their editor@iaeme.com

5 J. Y. Hong and J. H. Kim personal national identity and to open up Pilsen as a popular space. Typically, the main project, 'Public Space', is intended to support this idea. As one of the detailed festivals, the 'Festival of Light' featured 8 interactive exhibitions and exhibits, further enhancing the Pilsen Event in February. In May, over 5,000 residents from other regions participated in the event to celebrate the European Neighbor's Day, and did activities such as food preparation for the neighbors. Also, this theme supported another major project "Hidden City". The other activities were also made to attract Pilsen s residents to the remote areas of the city to discover new public spaces for this project. An important criterion in the selection of the European Capital of Culture is its contribution to Europe. The European Capital of Culture Program should be able to contribute to promoting cultural cooperation between cultural workers, artists and cities of the EU member countries. In addition, it should emphasize the cultural diversity of Europe and its richness, as well as the common aspects of European culture. In other words, the candidate cities should be able to present the role of European culture, including European identity, and show the unique and artistic and cultural characteristics of Europe. It is important to note that the program itself as well as how the composition and organization of the programs cooperate with the other members of the EU is of particular importance. The outer world which Pilsen is aiming for is at a global level, but more fundamentally European level. The European Capital of Culture, Pilsen 2015 co-organized the program in collaboration with cultural art practitioners from a total of 50 countries, including 27 European countries. 53% of the total programs consisted of European-level programs emphasizing exchanges and cooperation between European countries. As a result, Pilsen has created opportunities for overseas networking in various cultural and artistic fields. In particular, the programs that emphasize the European dimension are as follows [3]: -Gallery of West Bohemia -international exchange grant -Rock for People Europe concert -West Bohemia University and the Faculty of Art and Design The European Union focuses on organizing venue programs at a European level and emphasizes urban networking and ongoing cooperation from planning to operation. From the viewpoint of European citizens, they primarily experience the unique cultural characteristics of the venue through annual cultural events in other places, but ultimately empirically recognize that all cultural diversity is respected and coexisted within the framework of the European Union.[2] That is, the consideration of the European level is based on openness and tolerance of cultural diversity. The European Union is constantly emphasizing this kind of intercultural dialogue in order to build a sense of belonging about Europe, while respecting cultural differences according to national and regional boundaries. The 'Stories and Sources' theme is to recall the historical experiences and events of the past in Pilsen and to promote tourist attractions based on the unique characteristics of the city. In other words, there is a purpose to preserve and revitalize tradition and past from the understanding of history and many viewpoints. The Baroque Beauty of West Bohemia is a project to celebrate the Baroque-style landscape of the area. The main event in this project was '9 Weeks of Baroque', where each week new areas were selected for performing arts, music fireworks and theaters. The project was held throughout the year and focused on many cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, theaters and exhibition halls editor@iaeme.com

6 Cultural Diversity and Openness: Focused on European Capital of Culture, Pilsen A noteworthy theme in Pilsen's cultural program is puppets. The Czech Republic has a lot of historical relevance with puppets. This is evidenced by Pilsen s puppet theater founded in the 1930s. That's why in the European Capital of Culture in 2015, a number of projects were done on the theme of puppets. Also, through the artists residence of OPEN A.I.R., Pilsen became the first venue where the local artists of Pilsen could show their talents internationally. The "Transit and Minorities" theme consisted of special programs for minority groups. For decades, there have been a lot of immigrants from the countries of the former Soviet Union, Mongolia and Vietnam. But Pilsen is struggling to integrate these populations now. So, this topic tries to put more emphasis on the diversity of the city and its population through various workshops and events. The flagship project was carried out by Gottfried Lindauer, the first artist who came to Europe from New Zealand. This project was held with the support of 8 painters, who drew portraits of the minority groups currently living in the peninsula, while exhibiting and sharing with the public from June to July. The program was designed for young people from 11 years old to college students because young people of this age not only enjoy cultural life actively, but also have important connections with the community and will have a tremendous impact on the culture of the future. In addition, art projects with disabled people and their mothers as target groups were also held The invigoration of creativity The concept that is frequently used in recent European cultural agendas are creativity and innovation. In this regard, we can have various interpretations and connections in our society and life. It basically helps us to understand the relation of art and culture in the future of our society. The European Capital of Culture Program also emphasizes the dynamism of art that transforms rich European cultural heritage into creative and innovative content. In addition, this creativity is very closely related to cultural diversity, so that the coherence of the European Union's cultural policy agenda can be read. Richard Florida looked at tolerance as the driving force of the region to attract creative talents through the 3T theory of economic development. In other words, tolerance and openness to diverse cultural differences are environmental factors that inspire creativity. In the European Capital of Culture Pilgen, in addition to the opening of cultural diversity, it can be seen in the same context that the programs that encourage creativity are composed. The program on the "Arts and Science and Technology" theme showed that the process of innovative movement, creation or presentation of culture was fully open to support the development of technology and creative education. It aimed to link various international exchanges and new international technology areas to the tradition and potential of Pilgen. This them also has the purpose of enhancing the connectivity of the city's industrial background, capabilities, skills and business. One of the most important ECC projects is DEPOX2015. This is a dynamic place where industry and culture meet, and the main goal of this place is to support the creative industry. The former bus stops abandoned are now being used for an open shared workshop, including mutual exhibitions, cafes, community gardens, residences of artists, concert halls, etc. Also, 'creative incubator' has been developed for the creative people of the Czech Republic and the world to develop their cutting edge ideas and to publicize their work Citizen participation: Bottom Up The most important criterion for the selection of the European Capital of Culture is the assessment of the city's citizens along with the European dimension. The participation by editor@iaeme.com

7 J. Y. Hong and J. H. Kim local citizens is an important criterion, and it is also important that the city can attract interest and attention of other countries citizens. It also takes into account the sustainability of the city's cultural and social development in the long run. As Czech society is transformed from closeness to open attitude today, there seems to be some anxiety and concern. In order to positively cope with and solve these problems, it is desirable to voluntarily participate from the citizens rather than a top-down approach. The Pilzen 2015 program worked in many ways to make it a good opportunity to break down the internal barriers of citizens. In the long run, it intended to make innovation naturally and peacefully in the long term. Let's take a look at the leading civic engagement programs. [3] First of all, there is 'Foster the City project'. It focused on developing small public spaces in the city into a space where citizens could meet, play and enjoy. Local residents themselves participated in the project to find out the spaces abandoned because of the poor management, such as parks, public green spaces and river banks, and to transform them. A total of nine urban space regeneration projects were carried out with a budget of 75,000 euros. 'Neighbourhood Walks' was a program where local residents guided visitors on foot. More than 1,100 people participated in the program. The 84 locals became special guides who told their personal stories and the historical events of Pilgen, including the World War, the rise of communism, and the emergence of socialist. The locals also became the subject of various ECoC exhibitions, shows, and performances. For example, the Pilsen Family Photo Album: A Paradise Among Four Rivers included over 200 pictures submitted by local people of past Pilsen residents. A group of local artists used older residents as subjects for their portraits which included short stories about their lives. Figure 4 Exhibition: Pilsen Family Photo Album [3] In addition to the above cultural programs, the role of volunteers in the operation of the event is also very important. A total of 515 volunteers were active in various areas. including crowd control and signposting at larger events, undertaking local marketing, helping escort foreign artists around the city, helping with translations for foreign tourists, as well as helping to set up various events and activities. 4. CONCLUSION In the above, we researched the strategies of Pilsen, which intends to meet the requirements of EU, to make the most of their own uniqueness, and to become an open city. along with the historical background of Pilsen. History tells us that a city is like a living creature, so it experiences birth and extinction. Pilsen is practicing the realization that they should open themselves to become a city full of vitality again. It seems that Pilsen is presenting a topic editor@iaeme.com

8 Cultural Diversity and Openness: Focused on European Capital of Culture, Pilsen that urban space, where multi-cultural environments mingle together in the world that is getting smaller and smaller, should seriously consider through its slogan. Pilsen, Open Up! The above slogan is an imperative narrative with the second person of Pilgen. In other words, the city is talking to itself as if it faces itself in the mirror. Compared to other European Capital of Culture Programs, the 2015 Pilgen was somewhat different. It put a greater emphasis on securing identity as a cultural city, rather than building infrastructures for revitalizing the city or the local economy. The cultural events actively participated by the local residents play a role in sharing a genuine sense of placeness and a sense of belonging by imprinting the experiences of places and activities about local community. [2] Through the European Capital of Culture Program, Pilgen remained in their memory by sharing and feeling openness to Europe and world that it was aiming for. In addition, it became an occasion to inform the outside world of the message of Pilgen and introduce the image as a cultural city. Carried out with an exceptionally small budget of 18.2 million euros, the 2015 Pilgen had some limitations. By 2015, the number of people who visited the city increased by 28% to 1.4 million compared to two years ago. [3] However, statistics show that 60% of the visitors were from Pilgen and 35% from its neighborhood or the Czech Republic, whereas foreign visitors were a mere 5% [3]. It can be interpreted as revealing the weaknesses of marketing that could attract tourists at a global level. However, from a certain point of view, it is encouraging that the participation rate of its citizens and residents was high. According to the results of a survey of the residents of Pilsen, satisfaction levels of the cultural offer in the city rose sharply. When compared to before and after the European Capital of Culture Program, it rose from 65% in 2010 to 90% in [3] In 2010, movie and TV views were highest according to a survey on the major cultural activities of the residents in the city, but in 2016, live music and exhibitions ranked highest.[3] It is evident that the European Capital of Culture Program has become a means to raise awareness and enjoyment of citizens' culture and to promote the identity of local culture. Planned by citizens' voluntary participation in a long-term perspective, the cultural program of Pilgen has the potential to open gradually to the world in the future. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund. REFERENCES [1] Jong-Youl Hong, Planning of Creative City Project based on Storytelling: A Case Study of Tallinn, European Capital of Culture, Global Culture Contents, vol.28, 2017, pp [2] Sung-Won Yoon, EU and Cultural Event, The Korean Journal of Area Studies, vol. 35, no.3, 2017, pp [3] ECORYS and CSES, "Ex-post Evaluation of the 2015 European Capitals of Culture: Final Report." A study prepared for the European Commission by ECORYS and the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services (CSES), [4] European Union [5] European Capital of Culture, Pilsen [6] City of Pilsen, PILSEN, OPEN UP! Application of the City of Pilsen for the Title of European Capital of Culture, 2015, www. plzen cz / en / sites/ plzen2015.cz. en / files/ pilsen_application_en.pdf editor@iaeme.com