An educational program for learning the values of sustainable development and peace through UNESCO World Documentary Heritage was held at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU).
 

Hosted by the UNESCO International Center for Documentary Heritage (ICDH) and organized by the Department of History at JBNU and the Department of History at Kongju National University, with cooperation from the Committee on Sustainable Development and Peace, the ‘World Documentary Heritage-linked SDGs Pilot Education’ was held on the 14th at JBNU. About 50 members from JBNU's Department of History, Graduate School of Archives and Records Management, and Department of Library & Information Science participated in the program.
 

The program linked diverse documentary heritage contents to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to foster understanding of universal values shared by humanity and to enable reflection on contemporary challenges of sustainable development and peace through historical cases. In particular, it aimed to expand the educational use of documentary heritage by developing a curriculum that integrates documentary heritage into SDG education and applying it in university teaching.

The program comprised two lectures. Seo Jun‑su, Senior Specialist at the UNESCO International Center for Documentary Heritage, presented ‘Sustainable Development Goals and World Documentary Heritage’, introducing documentary heritage linked to key SDG targets. Professor Moon Kyung‑ho of the Department of History at Kongju National University then focused on SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Institutions), explaining the universal values of coexistence and cooperation embodied in the Joseon Tongsinsa records inscribed as World Documentary Heritage in 2017, which attest to centuries‑long peaceful exchanges.

A history student (Kang Yuna, Class of '26) said, “Learning the SDGs, which I had been exposed to since high school, in connection with world documentary heritage allowed me to understand them more deeply”. Another history student (Heo Seong‑ik, Class of '22) commented, “By learning in detail about the reasons behind the Joseon Tongsinsa dispatches, I felt the true value of diplomacy for peace between nations”.

Professor Yoon Sang‑won evaluated, “Through world documentary heritage, we were able to view our history in a global historical context and from the perspective of universal values”, adding “I observed participating students broaden their horizons and express constructive perspectives”.

This program is the second pilot, following the first pilot education conducted on September 11 with 50 students from the Department of History at Kongju National University. The UNESCO International Center for Documentary Heritage has been contributing to the development of education models using cultural heritage, beginning with education on climate change and the environment (SDG 13) in 2025.