"Jindo's Intangible Heritage Meets the World"... 'International Intangible Heritage Festival' to Be Held in September

Conference and Exhibition Featuring Seven Nations

Interactive Festival Showcasing Jindo Ssitgimgut and a Variety of International Intangible Heritage Performances

Jindo County, located in Jeonnam Gwangju Unified Metropolitan City, will host a large-scale international intangible cultural heritage event next month to promote the unique intangible heritage of Jindo, a designated Culture City of Korea, to the world and to facilitate cultural exchanges with various Asian countries.

Lee Jaegak, Jindo County Governor, conducting a comprehensive inspection ahead of an international event. Provided by Jindo County.

The county government and the Jindo Culture City Center recently held a progress report meeting at the county office to check the preparation status and operational plans for the successful hosting of the "2026 Jindo International Intangible Heritage Conference" and the "2026 Jindo International Intangible Heritage Festival," both scheduled for September.

First, from September 16 to 18, the International Intangible Heritage Conference will be held in the main conference hall of the Jindo County Office under the theme "Living Heritage, Shaping the Future Together."

The conference will bring together intangible heritage experts from seven Asian nations, including Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as officials from UNESCO-related organizations and Culture Cities in Korea.

Participants will reevaluate the historical and cultural value of Jindo’s folk traditions and discuss ways to preserve and pass on intangible cultural heritage to future generations in the face of rapid societal change. They will also explore ways to expand the modern utilization of intangible heritage and promote exchange and cooperation among countries.

Following the conference, from September 18 to 20, the Jindo Hyangto Culture Center and its vicinity will host the International Intangible Heritage Festival under the theme "The Thread of Life, Twelve Knots."

This festival will connect Jindo’s representative intangible heritage and the traditional cultures of Asian countries through performances, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences, creating a participatory international cultural festival where visitors can experience and enjoy intangible heritage firsthand.

On the opening day, the festival will begin with a themed performance, "Seocheon Flower Field," and Jindo’s iconic intangible cultural heritage, "Jindo Ssitgimgut."

On September 19, the international character of the festival will be highlighted, featuring overseas intangible cultural performances, including the Indonesian Saman dance, Mongolia’s Folk Art Troupe, Sichuan Opera from China, and India’s Chhau dance, all taking the stage.

A unique performance blending tradition and modernity, "Nakhwa Nori × Jindo Sori," will also be featured, presenting an innovative showcase by infusing new elements into Jindo’s traditional culture.

On the final day, September 20, the festival will culminate with representative traditional cultural performances from Jindo, such as the "Jindo Dasaeraegi," the "Jindo Funeral Procession," and "Daedong Nori," creating a grand finale where local residents and visitors come together in unity.

Various performances will also take place outside the main stage during the event period.

Fringe performances by independent artists will add vibrancy throughout the festival, including "Arirang by Generation" by creative gugak group Nooryang, "Jindo Carnival" by Seoul Parade, Jindo Pungmul troupes, the madang play "Namdo Cheonji Bap," and bubble artist Team Clown.

Exhibition and experience programs will also be available. Themed exhibition halls will showcase life's significant moments through storytelling, and there will be an art playground for children as well as a local food market, ensuring families can fully enjoy the festival together.

The county intends to go beyond simple performances and develop the conference and festival into an international cultural platform for sharing Jindo’s intangible heritage with the world and enabling exchanges among domestic and international experts, practitioners, and artists.

In particular, the county plans to link the region’s abundant folk culture assets with its cultural city initiatives to strengthen local cultural competitiveness and promote stay-type cultural tourism through these events.

Lee Jaegak, Governor of Jindo County, said, "This meaningful event will allow us to share Jindo’s outstanding intangible heritage as a Culture City of Korea with the world and expand international cultural exchanges. I hope that many residents and visitors will participate and experience the cultural value and unique charm of Jindo firsthand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.