Sri Lanka’s Saranga Puppet Group was awarded the 8th Jeonju World Intangible Heritage Award 2026 as one of three recipients, in recognition of its outstanding contribution to safeguarding and transmitting Sri Lanka’s traditional string puppetry, ‘Rukada Natya’’. The Award Ceremony was held on 11 September 2026 at the Korea Traditional Culture Center in Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Korea, M.K. Pathmanaathan attended the ceremony together with the Deputy Mayor of Jeonju, Yoon Dong-wook, representatives of the Korean Government, members of the diplomatic corps, and intangible cultural heritage experts from Korea and abroad.
The Saranga Puppet Group was selected following an international open call that attracted 125 teams from 52 countries. The Group was recognized for its continued efforts in education, preservation, digital archiving, and community engagement aimed at transmitting the traditional art of Rukada Natya’ to future generations.
Each recipient was presented with a specially crafted award plaque and a cash prize of USD 10,000. The other two recipients of the 2026 Award were Embodying Reconciliation of Colombia and Sunbula of Palestine.
During the Award Ceremony, the Saranga Puppet Group presented a traditional string puppet performance, offering the audience an opportunity to experience Sri Lanka’s rich and distinctive intangible cultural heritage.
The Jeonju World Intangible Heritage Award, established in 2017 following the Jeonju Declaration on the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage, recognizes exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations around the world to safeguard, transmit, and develop intangible cultural heritage.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Seoul, Republic of Korea
15 September 2026
