In November 2021, the city of Bucheon (Republic of Korea) organized the first Diaspora Literary Awards (BUDILIA) Ceremony. The event was attended by writers as well as officials from the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and saw the designation of prize winners. The inaugural winner of the award is the Korean translation of the novel A Free Life (2007), by author Ha Jin, and translated to Korean by professor WANG Eun-chull. This work of diaspora literature delved into the meaning of a diaspora life through the attitudes and values of a character, writing poetry in a foreign language so as to protect his human dignity and freedom.

Through this award, designed to promote Korean literature around the world, the Creative City of Bucheon also brings literature from a variety of language backgrounds to Korea, therefore enabling better understanding between peoples and cultures.

In September last, on the occasion of the first edition of the Bucheon Diaspora Literary Award, Bucheon also launched the online campaign We are All Diaspora. In an era of mass global migration, this online campaign, in collaboration with the Bucheon Hope Foundation, aimed to raise awareness of Diaspora literature and the important role it plays in social inclusion and cohesion.

During the campaign each time when it reached 100 posts (on social media platforms), 100 books, including the BUDILIA award-winning book, were donated for children in Myanmar, funded partially by the Bucheon Hope Foundation.  

For more information, please visit: 

https://budilia.or.kr