How I Found Gwangju in a Swiss City
Written by Cho Namhee.
While I was working for the organizing committee of the recent FINA World Championships in Gwangju last year, the delegates of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the counterpart of the host city Gwangju, often shared with me that Gwangju gives them the back-home feeling of Lausanne, Switzerland, where their headquarters is situated. Whenever they spotted similarities between Gwangju and their city of residence, I only thought that it was their effort for the sake of formality. But in less than six months of my stay in Lausanne, even though I spent most of that time staying at home, I admit that their comparisons were rational yet very humble.
After roughly fourteen hours of multiple flights from Incheon and a 40-minute drive along the shores of the grand Lac Leman from the nearest Geneva airport, I could finally see the sign “Bienvenue à Lausanne, Capitale Olympique.” The moment I rotated myself 360 degrees, I was captivated by the panoramic Alps across the lake. It was the first similarity between Gwangju and Lausanne. Though the Alps might be more widely known than Mudeung Mountain, I felt the same strength as when I had the peak of Mudeung behind my back. It was the feelings of warmth, comfort, and protection that transcend the difference between the East and the West. As we all admire and love Mudeung Mountain, it seemed that the lakeside and hill dwellers here had the same feelings towards their surroundings. People spend a lot of time either in the mountains or by the lake, or with a view of both.
On top of the geographical similarities, both cities boast of their rich culture and arts scene. From the early 20th century, the city of Lausanne not only was a holiday destination for people from neighboring countries such as France and Italy, but also served as a refuge for the artists. It is worth notice that the city attracted countless creative people, including Ernest Hemingway. As a consequence, the city has more than two dozen museums and art galleries despite the city being less than one-tenth of the size and population of Gwangju. Musée de l’Elysée, a museum entirely devoted to photography; Fondation de l’Hermitage, a showcase of Swiss and international modern artists; and Musée Olympique, the Olympic museum are a few of the well-known museums and galleries in Lausanne. Furthermore, with the above-mentioned cultural and artistic heritage, the city hosts numerous contests and festivals, including the Prix de Lausanne, a famous dance competition.
Last but not least, the city is known as the Olympic Capital, the home of international sport. Along with the headquarter of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), there are approximately 50 international sports federations and sports-related organizations that call Lausanne and its canton Vaud (equivalent to a province in Korea) their home. Ever since Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, chose Lausanne as the base for the IOC headquarters, it has spontaneously attracted affiliated federations and organizations to Lausanne. In 1994, the city was officially promoted to Olympic Capital and is slowly being recognized as the capital in all aspects of sports; this includes being the host of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Similarly, Gwangju played host to the 2019 FINA World Championships.
My comparison between the two cities may heavily rely on my positive attachment to Gwangju, as I call it my second hometown. However, I am confident that if I tell the FINA delegates, who are now my colleagues, that I now agree with them that Gwangju and Lausanne are quite alike, they will not be surprised. I hope everyone back home in Gwangju is safe and well, and I hope that I can get to discover more of this city and this country very soon.
THE AUTHOR
Cho Namhee is an over-zealous sports fan and free spirit who calls Gwangju home. After working for the Gwangju International Center and the 18th FINA World Championships Gwangju 2019, he has taken on the position of sports coordinator at FINA.