20 years of implementing the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Provincial leaders attended the conference.

Attending the conference, on behalf of Nam Dinh province were Comrade Pham Gia Tuc, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee; the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee; and leaders of departments, agencies, and localities in the province.

Comrade Tran Le Doai, Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, delivered a welcoming speech at the conference and seminar.

Representing the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism were Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Bai, Vice Chairman of the National Council of Cultural Heritage; representatives from the National Institute of Culture and Arts; and scientists in the field of cultural heritage. Also attending the workshop were representatives from the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and exemplary artisans practicing the religious beliefs of 22 provinces and cities with heritage sites: Ho Chi Minh City, Thua Thien Hue, Thai Binh , Thanh Hoa, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, etc.

Comrade Pham Gia Tuc, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and other provincial leaders presented the conference organizing committee with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

In his welcoming remarks at the conference, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Le Doai emphasized: Located in the central position of the southern Red River Delta, in the historical process of the nation, the land of Nam Dinh contains many cultural values of the Vietnamese people; including the worship of Saint Tran (Father Saint) and Saint Mother Lieu Hanh (Mother Saint) - two indigenous beliefs with profound humanistic values, deeply ingrained in the consciousness of people nationwide with the proverb "August is the anniversary of the Father, March is the anniversary of the Mother". Nam Dinh province is considered the center of the Mother worship belief with typical relics such as: the Phu Day relic complex (Vu Ban), Phu Quang Cung - Phu Nap relics (Y Yen),… and many other places of worship of the Mother Saints. The inscription of "The Practice of the Mother Goddess Worship of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese People" as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity affirms the immense global value of this heritage, contributing to the richness and diversity of human culture, and reflecting the proactive and positive integration of the country with the international community.

A drum performance to welcome the conference.

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Convention aims to preserve, conserve, disseminate, and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage in human life. It strengthens awareness and participation of local and national communities, thereby promoting international cooperation and support in this field. The Convention, with its global value, has achieved significant results as the world emphasizes the importance of intangible cultural heritage. To date, Vietnam has 15 intangible cultural heritages inscribed by UNESCO, including the "Practices of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People." This conference is an opportunity to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of the Convention's implementation in Vietnam. Results of State management in protecting and promoting the value of the intangible cultural heritage "Practices of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People" and implementing the National Action Program for the period 2017-2022 on protecting and promoting heritage values in Nam Dinh province.

The artisans perform traditional folk singing.

The discussions at the conference focused on clarifying the results of implementing the UNESCO Convention, the management, protection, and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage "The Practice of Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People" in Nam Dinh and other localities nationwide; the role and responsibilities of state management agencies regarding Mother Goddess worship; the role and responsibilities of artisans in preserving the pure values of "The Practice of Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People"; and community activities in preserving the value and transmitting the practice of the heritage since its recognition by UNESCO... From there, solutions were proposed, directions, tasks, and implementation plans were determined for the future, continuing to implement the National Action Program for the Protection and Promotion of the Value of "The Practice of Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People" as committed in the nomination dossier to UNESCO for the period 2023-2028.

Cultural performance program of the Provincial Traditional Arts Theatre

A cultural performance program by the Provincial Traditional Arts Theatre.

At the conference, Provincial Party Secretary Pham Gia Tuc and other provincial leaders presented a beautiful bouquet of flowers to congratulate the Organizing Committee. Groups of artisans practicing the Mother Goddess worship from various provinces and cities performed typical Chau Van rituals.

As part of the event, from November 29th to 30th, vibrant religious practices will take place at the historical sites of Phu Van Cat, Phu Tien Huong, Phu Quang Cung, and Phu Bong (Nguyet Du Palace), attracting a large number of artisans and visitors from all over.

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