Nami Island Marks 18 Years as Sole Sponsor of Andersen Award, Rising as a Global Hub for Children's Literature
by Lee jonggu
Published 15 Apr.2026 18:40(KST)
From Eulyoo Publishing to the Andersen Picture Book Center
Expanding Culture Based on Publishing
Michael Rosen and Cai Gao Honored
The World's Most Prestigious Award in Children's Literature
On April 13 (local time), at the opening ceremony of the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy, the winners of this year's Hans Christian Andersen Award, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of children's literature," were announced.
In the illustrator category, the award went to Cai Gao of China, while the author category was won by Michael Rosen of the United Kingdom. Michael Rosen is recognized as an author who approaches children with honesty, humor, intellect, and respect, and he is known in Korea as the author of the beloved classic children's book "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," which has been cherished by young readers worldwide for over 30 years. Cai Gao was selected for her artistic excellence and for presenting an original visual language that expands the possibilities of children's illustration.
The Hans Christian Andersen Award was established in 1956 by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with the illustrator category added in 1966. As the most internationally prestigious award in children's literature, the Andersen Award is given every two years to one author and one illustrator who have made continuous contributions to children's literature, assessing the entirety of their achievements rather than a specific work, thereby distinguishing it from other literary awards.
Alongside the announcement of the winners, Korea's leading tourist destination, Nami Island, has drawn attention for serving as the official and sole sponsor of the Andersen Award for 18 consecutive years since 2009. Previously, Nissan Motor Corporation of Japan had sponsored the award until 2008, but since then, Nami Island has been the sole sponsor of this prestigious literary prize, which carries significant meaning. In 2005, to mark the 200th anniversary of Andersen's birth, Nami Island launched the Namiseom World Book Land Festival. Since 2013, it has also hosted the international picture book illustration competition "NAMI CONCOURS." Additionally, Nami Island operates the illustration art hotel "Hotel Jeonggwanru," which showcases works by Nami Concours winners. At the "Andersen Picture Book Center" on Nami Island, past Hans Christian Andersen Award-winning works and major prize-winning picture books from around the world are preserved and exhibited, and works by this year's winners, Michael Rosen and Cai Gao, will also be on display.
In recognition of its contributions to the development of culture and the arts, including children's literature, Nami Island received the "Jella Lepman Award," named after the founder of IBBY, in 2014. In 2015, Min Kyunggu, CEO of Nami Island Education and Culture Group, was elected as an executive board member of the IBBY Foundation, making history as the first Korean and the youngest person ever to hold that position. Based on continued collaboration and networking with IBBY as well as authors and experts domestically and internationally, Nami Island holds the Namiseom World Book Land Festival every year, contributing to the growth and spread of book culture. The 2026 Namiseom World Book Land Festival will be held from May 1 to May 17, featuring a variety of content at Nami Island, Seoul, Chuncheon, and other locations, while the 2026 NAMI CONCOURS awards ceremony is scheduled for May 14.
At the root of this book culture lies the philosophy of publishing and Korean language culture held by Nami Island founder Min Byungdo. In 1945, immediately after Korea's liberation, he founded Eulyoo Publishing Co., one of Korea's leading modern publishers, thus beginning his publishing career in earnest. He went on to publish a series of works that contributed to children's literature and publishing culture, including "Home Calligraphy Book" and "Children's Calligraphy Book" for children who could not study Hangul under Japanese colonial rule, the illustrated children's book "Picture Hill No. 1: Children's Hangul Book," the first weekly magazine for children "Weekly Elementary School Student," the first children's literary magazine "New Bud Literature," and the first Korean language dictionary "Korean Language Grand Dictionary."
He also founded the Joseon Children's Culture Association, promoting both children's literature and education as well as the Hangul literacy movement, embodying the philosophy of "cultural formation through books." Furthermore, he expanded his activities into various cultural and artistic fields, including music and the visual arts, and participated in establishing Korea's first "Goryeo Symphony Orchestra," thereby laying the foundation for Korean culture more broadly. This longstanding commitment to publishing and book culture has enabled Nami Island to grow into a hub that connects the world's children's literature and picture book cultures today, with the Andersen Picture Book Center on the island serving as a symbolic space that encapsulates this legacy.
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