A decade of protecting and promoting Tug of War rituals and games

This is the topic of the Workshop held on November 15, organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with the Department of Cultural Heritage, Long Bien Ward People's Committee and the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association.

Tug of war heritage. Photo: MH

International workshop “A Decade of Preservation and Promotion of Tug-of-War Rituals and Games” on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Tug-of-War Rituals and Games being recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2015–2025). The event is within the framework of Thang Long - Hanoi Festival.

Gathering more than 250 domestic and foreign delegates, including managers, researchers, experts and communities holding Tug of War rituals and games practices from many localities: Hanoi, Bac Ninh , Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, etc. Also attending were representatives of international organizations, embassies of Cambodia, Korea, Philippines, and many research institutes and universities.

Delegates attending the workshop. Photo: Pham Thao

The international conference is an important forum to look back on a decade of protecting and promoting the heritage of Tug of War rituals and games, to exchange and share experiences, evaluate achievements, difficulties, challenges, and orient cooperation in the new period.

In her opening speech, Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, emphasized: In Vietnam, tug of war has become an indispensable part of the cultural life of the community, preserved and passed down through many generations, carrying with it the spirit of solidarity, strength and joy of the village festival.

Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai added that on December 2, 2015, at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in Namibia, the Tug of War rituals and games of Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea and the Philippines were honored as Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A source of shared national pride in a multinational portfolio, as well as a great source of encouragement for heritage practice communities in Vietnam.

Affirming that the achievements have been made are the result of the joint efforts and consensus of the community, authorities at all levels, researchers, especially the spirit of international cooperation between countries sharing the heritage.

The workshop attracted the participation of domestic and foreign experts and researchers. Photo: Pham Thao

After 10 years of being recognized, the communities practicing the Tug of War Rituals and Games heritage, Vietnam has identified and recorded four more communities practicing the Tug of War heritage, including Ngai Khe mine Tug of War (Chieu My commune, Hanoi city); Hoa Loan Tug of War (Vi Thanh commune, Phu Tho province); Phu Hao land Tug of War (Vi Khe ward, Ninh Binh province); Tra Doai village pit rope tug of war (Kien Xuong commune, Hung Yen province), contributing to enriching the national heritage picture.

The connection between Vietnam and South Korea, Cambodia and the Philippines has opened up a wide space for cultural exchange, connecting communities, honoring and diversifying cultural identities, strengthening friendship between nations, and fostering peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the region.

The workshop was organized with many presentations from domestic and foreign experts and researchers, focusing on the topic of protecting and promoting Tug of War rituals and games, as well as sharing experiences between countries and communities participating in heritage practices.

The presentations focused on assessing the achievements and challenges. They highlighted the positive impact of heritage inscription on the community, the role of creativity in maintaining festivals, and the effectiveness of cooperation between co-owner countries.

Representatives of heritage-practicing localities also shared their experiences in preserving rituals, spaces and transmitting traditions. These contents contributed to orienting appropriate conservation solutions in the new period.

Following today's workshop is an exchange program, showcasing the heritage of Tug of War Rituals and Games on November 16 at Tran Vu Temple relic site with the participation of international delegations and heritage practicing communities from provinces and cities in the country.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/mot-thap-ky-bao-ve-va-phat-huy-nghi-le-va-tro-choi-keo-co-723437.html