Yeondeunghoe Inscribed on theUNESCO Representative List

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The Intergovernmental Committee for theSafeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has decided on December 16 toinscribe Yeondeunghoe (lantern lighting festival) on the Representative List ofthe Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at its fifteenth session. Thefifteenth session of the Committee is being held online from December 14–19.

The Committee took note of the inclusivenessof Yeondeunghoe, which contributes to overcoming all social boundaries and toultimately expressing cultural diversity. The Committee also noted that thelantern lighting festival plays the role of sharing pleasure and, in times ofdifficulties, of enhancing social cohesion.

Most importantly, theCommittee celebrated Yeondeunghoe as a good example of how a single inscription cancontribute to enhancing the public awareness of the significance of intangiblecultural heritage in general. 

The successful entry of Yeondeunghoe into theRepresentative List is an achievement accomplished through close collaborationthroughout the entire process among the Cultural Heritage Administration, the Ministryof Foreign Affairs, and the Yeondeunghoe Safeguarding Committee. The newinscription has added to the celebratory mood created by the Republic of Koreabeing elected as a member of the Committee in this September.

With the lantern lighting festival enteringthe list, the Republic of Korea now has 21 elements on the Representative List.The Korean government will continue with its long-standing endeavors to furtherdisseminate traditional Korean culture in the world and also to boost culturaldiversity and human creativity.

* Elements on the Representative Lists: RoyalAncestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine and its Music (2001); Pansori Epic Chant(2003); Dano Festival of Gangneung (2005); Ganggangsullae, Namsadang Nori,Yeongsanjae, Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut, and Cheoyongmu (2009); Gagok, Daemokjang,and Falconry (2010); Taekkyeon, Jultagi, and Weaving of Mosi in the HansanRegion (2011); Arirang (2012); Kimjang (2013); Nongak (2014); Tugging Ritualsand Games (2015); Culture of Jeju Haenyeo (2016); Traditional KoreanWrestling  (2018; joint inscription bythe two Koreas); and Yeondeunghoe (2020).