Promoting the value of the "Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain" heritage.

Reenactment of the procession of the statue of Lady of Sam Mountain in 2025.

On December 4, 2024, the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage officially adopted a resolution inscribing the "Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival" on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This is not only a great honor for An Giang province but also a source of national pride. It is an opportunity to honor and promote the unique values of the heritage and the image of An Giang, a homeland rich in historical and cultural traditions, to the people of the whole country and international friends. It aims to awaken national pride, raise awareness of responsibility among all levels, sectors, and the community in the work of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the nation and humanity, and contribute to socio-economic development.

A reporter from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) interviewed leaders of the Department of Culture and Sports of An Giang province one year after the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival was inscribed as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Mr. Nguyen Khanh Hiep, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of An Giang province.

*Reporter: The Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival has been inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Sir, what does this mean for the locality?

*Mr. Nguyen Khanh Hiep, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of An Giang province:

The Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival is a major festival deeply rooted in the cultural identity of the people of the Southwestern region of Vietnam. It takes place annually from April 22nd to 27th (lunar calendar) in Nui Sam ward, Chau Doc city, An Giang province (now Vinh Te ward, An Giang province). In the Kinh people's beliefs, Ba Chua Xu is part of the Mother Goddess system, worshipped in temples and associated with various practices such as festivals, rituals, and other forms of folk performances. The rituals, customs, and skills involved in the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival are passed down within families and communities through oral tradition, direct practice, and participation in the festival. The festival contributes to promoting cultural exchange, community cohesion, and national harmony, while affirming the important role of women in society and the contributions of our ancestors in nation-building. Through these "practical" activities, the festival has "transmitted" to today's generation a deeper understanding of customs, ethics, and social interactions, drawing from stories of the pioneering, expansion, and defense of the southern lands of the Fatherland, as well as the worldview and philosophy of life of our ancestors. This contributes to educating the younger generation about patriotism, love for their homeland, and respect for their roots.

In 2014, the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2023, the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain was honored as a "Typical Cultural Activity of Asia-Pacific". On December 4, 2024, the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain was officially inscribed by UNESCO on the list of Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This was one of 66 proposals considered during the session and the 16th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam to be inscribed by UNESCO. Besides Don Ca Tai Tu, which was already included by UNESCO on the list of Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (in 2013), the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain is the second heritage and the first traditional festival of the Southern region to receive this honor.

The recognition of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival in An Giang by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity affirms the integrity, authenticity, and outstanding global value of this unique heritage. This is an event of special significance and a great honor for the Party Committee, government, and people of An Giang province. It contributes to widely promoting the distinctive and unique cultural values of An Giang to people and tourists both domestically and internationally. It is also a source of pride for the entire nation, affirming the diversity and richness of Vietnamese national culture in the context of development and integration.

*Reporter: After being honored, how has the province implemented measures to preserve and promote the value of the heritage, sir? Could you highlight the outstanding policies that the province has implemented?

*Mr. Nguyen Khanh Hiep, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of An Giang province:

The reenactment depicts the procession of the statue of Lady of Sam Mountain down from the summit to the foot of Sam Mountain for people to perform rituals in 2025.

In implementing the Action Program for the Protection and Promotion of the Value of the UNESCO-Recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Via Ba Festival, the People's Committee of An Giang province has directed the implementation of local tasks.

The province is intensifying its efforts to promote the image of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival through mass media and communication channels to reach a wide audience of people and tourists, contributing to making Chau Doc, An Giang a renowned cultural and spiritual tourism destination on the domestic and international tourism map. Simultaneously, the province is organizing an online competition titled "Understanding the Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival and the Culture, History, and Tourism of Chau Doc City," with the awards ceremony and closing on May 17, 2025.

Along with that, the Standing Committee of the Chau Doc City Party Committee (now Vinh Te Ward, An Giang Province) developed an Action Program on the commitment to protecting and promoting the value of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival.

The province has implemented guidance and support for artisans in preparing applications for the title of "Outstanding Artisan" in the field of intangible cultural heritage. Two artisans practicing the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival, have been unanimously approved by the provincial council to be submitted to the specialized council at the ministerial level.

Local authorities will organize the traditional rituals of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival from May 12th, 2025 to May 24th, 2025 (April 15th to April 27th of the lunar calendar) in a solemn, respectful, and economical manner, adhering to the principles of heritage practice, with the widespread participation of the people, contributing to the cohesion of the four ethnic groups: Kinh, Hoa, Cham, and Khmer.

The relevant authorities will organize training sessions to improve the quality of operations of the Monument Management Board; and advise on the development of a project entitled "Management, protection and promotion of the value of the intangible cultural heritage of the Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival, which is inscribed by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity". The project is expected to be prepared and submitted for approval in the second quarter of 2026.

In order to promote and publicize the image of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival, the Department of Culture and Sports also proposed that the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival - a typical cultural theme of An Giang province - be the subject of a postage stamp in 2027.

*Reporter: To preserve this heritage for future generations, what work will the province undertake in the coming period, sir?

*Mr. Nguyen Khanh Hiep, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of An Giang province:

Thousands of locals and tourists will participate in the reenactment of the procession carrying the statue of Lady of Sam Mountain from the summit to the foot of Sam Mountain in 2025.

The UNESCO inscription of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival places a great responsibility on the province in managing, protecting, and promoting the value of this heritage. The An Giang Provincial Government is committed to continuing to implement heritage protection policies in accordance with its commitments to UNESCO, ensuring the authenticity of the ritual system, limiting commercialization, preserving the natural landscape of the Nui Sam area, and promoting awareness campaigns throughout society, especially among the younger generation, regarding the protection and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival. This aims to educate about patriotic traditions, gratitude, and national harmony. It also honors individuals and communities who have made significant contributions to preserving, practicing, teaching, protecting, and promoting the value of this heritage. There are policies, rewards, and state honorary titles bestowed upon artisans who have made significant contributions to the preservation and transmission of the cultural values of the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain, An Giang.

Furthermore, An Giang province has policies for sustainable tourism development, linked to environmental protection and the preservation of original cultural spaces, so that every visitor to the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival not only experiences a special spiritual space but also feels the rich and diverse cultural identity of Southern Vietnam.

The province is effectively implementing the Action Program to protect and promote the heritage value of the "Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival" so that the heritage will endure forever, spreading further and contributing to building an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity. At the same time, with the motto "transforming heritage into assets" to serve the socio-economic development of the locality through specific solutions, both immediate and long-term, the heritage truly becomes an intrinsic strength and an important driving force for the development of the locality and the country.

Reporter : Thank you very much, sir!

Source: https://chinhsachcuocsong.vnanet.vn/phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-le-hoi-via-ba-chua-xu-nui-sam/74786.html