HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) put traditional paper-making under the museum and policy lens on November 13, using a Hà Nội conference timed to Việt Nam Culture Day (November 24) and the Việt Nam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS)’ 73rd anniversary to push preservation from documentation toward living practice.

The Việt Nam Museum of Ethnology (VME) and the National Folk Museum of Korea ran the event in person and online, drawing diplomats, cultural officials, researchers, museum staff and artisans from both countries.

VASS Vice President Dr Đinh Thị Mai framed the conference as proof that cultural cooperation is moving from statements to concrete work, tying research to heritage preservation and people-to-people diplomacy.

Mai said VASS has a role in spreading Vietnamese cultural values globally and protecting knowledge, honouring artisans and keeping communities at the centre of preservation.

VME Director Assoc. Prof Lê Hải Đăng said the RoK's Hanji and Việt Nam's dó (poonah) paper carry embedded knowledge in terms of materials, technique, labour and cultural use. The event examined craft viability, artisan and community roles, and applications in art, education and archives. Documentation alone, he said, is not enough without artisans, communities and the next generation.

The first session focused on local knowledge, technique and transmission, using Vietnamese dó paper in Bắc Ninh and Korean Hanji as cases for tradition, adaptation and viability.

The second, looking at display, education and contemporary cultural practice, underscored artisan participation, craft-ecosystem resilience and community sustainability, and the link between museums and living heritage spaces.

The third widened the debate to museum cooperation and intercultural education. Across the three sessions, the goal was practical guidance for research, documentation, preservation and interpretation, and ways to recognise heritage holders’ voices and interests.

It also ran live demonstrations of Korean Hanji, Bắc Ninh’s dó and Cao Bằng’s Nùng dó paper making. — VNA/VNS