VANK announced on November 4, 2026, that it is launching a global campaign to promote the value of hanji ahead of the final review for its inscription on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity this coming December.
According to the Korea Heritage Service, whether “Traditional Knowledge, Techniques, and Cultural Practices of Hanji Production” will be inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity will be decided at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to be held next month in Xiamen, China. If the inscription is confirmed, it will become Korea’s 24th item on the Representative List.
Through digital content such as posters and card news, VANK emphasizes that Hanji is a cultural heritage that humanity must collectively preserve and pass down, extending beyond Korea. It introduces examples of Hanji being used in various fields and highlights its potential for a sustainable future.
A platform will also be provided for citizens in Korea and abroad, overseas Koreans, and K-pop fans to share their perspectives on the appeal of Hanji and engage with one another directly on social media.
VANK plans to link this campaign with its own global policy participation platform, “We are the Secretaries-General of an AI International Organization,” to encourage participants to submit their ideas.
VANK views this evaluation as a turning point in its ongoing efforts to promote Hanji globally and plans to spare no effort in rallying the international community’s attention and support.
Since 2022, VANK has been laying the groundwork by distributing multilingual posters and launching an international petition under the theme “Hanji: Traditional Culture and Living Heritage” (Our Living Heritage, Hanji).
Director Park Gi-tae stated, “Just as important as making the name ‘Hanji’ widely known through its designation as a UNESCO cultural heritage is ensuring that the knowledge and techniques used to make Hanji are passed down to the next generation.” He added, “We will expand our activities so that people around the world can discover the depth of our history and culture through Hanji, and so that this leads to concrete actions for the preservation and development of Hanji even after its inscription.”