Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Mai Son: Moved and proud that the Dong Ho folk painting craft - a unique heritage of our homeland - has been recognized internationally.

BAC NINH - On the afternoon of December 9, 2025, at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, currently taking place in New Delhi (India), Vietnam's "Dong Ho Folk Painting Craft" was officially inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. This is a particularly important milestone, opening up new opportunities for the preservation and promotion of one of the most unique heritages of the Kinh Bac region.

Immediately after UNESCO announced the voting results, Bac Ninh Newspaper reporters quickly connected by phone with Comrade Mai Son, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Bac Ninh Provincial Delegation attending the UNESCO meeting in India to record the first emotions, and update information, the significance of the event as well as urgent action plans to protect and promote the value of Dong Ho folk painting in the new period.

Comrade Mai Son (front row, second from left) attended the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention in India.

- Dear Mr. Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, what are your feelings and thoughts at this moment when the Dong Ho folk painting craft has just been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in need of urgent protection?

Comrade Mai Son: Right now, my greatest feeling is pride when the unique heritage of my hometown Bac Ninh is recognized by the international community, and at the same time, it also affirms my responsibility when UNESCO places its trust in us to protect a heritage that is in need of urgent support.

For me personally, as well as the members of the working group and the cultural workers of the province, the event of Dong Ho folk painting being listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is a great emotion and pride. This is the result of many years of persistent efforts by the provincial Party Committee, government, specialized agencies, experts, researchers and especially the community of artisans of the painting village - those who have kept the heritage alive in the most difficult times.

Comrade Mai Son and the delegation respectfully presented Dong Ho paintings to the Vietnamese Ambassador to India.

- What significance does the UNESCO recognition bring to the heritage, especially to the artisan community, craft villages and the current cultural and economic development of Bac Ninh province?

Comrade Mai Son: First of all, the recognition affirms the outstanding global value of Dong Ho painting not only in terms of art, but also in terms of folk knowledge, cultural identity and the humanistic message that the heritage brings. Second, UNESCO recognized the painting profession at a time when it is facing many challenges: Lack of successor artisans, shrinking market, craft village space is strongly affected by urbanization... Therefore, this recognition is both encouraging and warning, helping to mobilize strong attention from the State, community and international community to preserve the heritage in a more urgent, systematic and sustainable way.

More importantly, this is an opportunity for us to preserve and develop the painting profession in association with tourism development, creative economy, creating livelihoods for people and spreading more widely the quintessence of Vietnamese culture.

- During the appraisal process, how did UNESCO members evaluate the Dossier of Vietnam's Dong Ho Folk Painting Craft and what outstanding values ​​were recognized, sir?

Comrade Mai Son: Members of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage highly appreciated the dossier information, careful preparation, and meeting the criteria for inclusion in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

International delegates also noted that the Dong Ho folk painting heritage has been closely associated with the lives of Vietnamese people for hundreds of years, especially during the Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival as well as ancestor worship and god worship ceremonies. The themes of the paintings are related to traditional customs, history, daily life, landscapes... The international community also highly appreciates the value and uniqueness of Dong Ho paintings when knowing that the entire process of making paintings is done by hand, from sketching on paper to wood carving, printing each color. In particular, the raw materials, materials, and colors are completely taken from nature such as grass, trees, flowers, scallops, red pebbles...

The dossier also shows that the number of artisans committed to the craft is decreasing, thus requiring urgent protection. The proposed plan and goals for heritage conservation are also feasible, in line with international recommendations to put the community at the center.

Dong Ho painting - Returning home in glory to pay respects to ancestors.

- Could you please tell us about the process of Bac Ninh province coordinating to build and complete the nomination dossier in the past time, especially the difficulties and efforts to overcome to fully meet the strict criteria of UNESCO?

Comrade Mai Son: The journey to build the dossier on Dong Ho folk painting craft to submit to UNESCO is a process that lasts many years with the responsible participation of Bac Ninh province, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, experts and especially the community of artisans of the painting village.

In terms of advantages, Dong Ho painting is a heritage of outstanding value, continuously preserved by the community through many generations, so the documents, engravings, painting samples and craft stories are still quite rich. Moreover, Bac Ninh province always pays attention and closely directs the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in proactively coordinating with research institutes, universities and leading experts to build the dossier, strictly following UNESCO standards. In particular, the artisan community actively participates, provides documents and accompanies in every step of the dossier building.

However, the process of building the nomination dossier also encountered many difficulties. Because the heritage is in a state of decline, the census of artisans, inventory of engravings and restoration of traditional techniques requires a lot of time and effort. Moreover, the context of rapid urbanization makes proving the continuity of the practice space also a challenge. In addition, UNESCO has strict requirements in the dossier, from scientific evidence, video demonstration to short-term and long-term action plans, so careful preparation and close coordination between many agencies and units are needed. Although difficult, this journey has helped us to have a deeper understanding of the value of the heritage and strengthened our determination to protect Dong Ho painting in a sustainable and long-term manner.

Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Dang Che guides tourists in printing Dong Ho paintings.

- After the heritage is registered, how will the province direct the implementation of the action program to protect and promote the value of Dong Ho folk painting in the new situation?

Comrade Mai Son: Immediately after the heritage was recognized by UNESCO, Bac Ninh province implemented the Emergency Action Program to protect the Dong Ho folk painting craft in accordance with international commitments.

First of all, the province will direct specialized agencies and local authorities to coordinate with relevant units to strengthen the artisan force, open classes to teach and train the next generation, ensuring that the profession will have long-term successors.

Second, direct the focus on preserving practice spaces such as restoring some traditional craft households, building creative exhibition areas, improving the craft village environment and linking conservation with cultural tourism activities.

Third, direct the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with consulting units to inventory and digitize to preserve the system of engravings and related documents, forming a data bank to serve research, education and creativity.

Fourth, strengthen international cooperation to research and learn good and effective models from countries around the world in preserving, promoting the value and promoting Dong Ho folk painting heritage internationally.

Along with that, promote communication, build diverse experiential products, connect the market so that workers can have a sustainable livelihood. Most importantly, all activities will be implemented according to the principle of the community as the subject, the management agency as the support unit, to ensure that the heritage is preserved at its true value, towards sustainable development.

- How do you evaluate the role of the community, especially the young generation, in preserving and spreading heritage? What is the province's orientation to encourage people's participation?

Comrade Mai Son: As I have just affirmed, the community is the subject of creation, preservation and dissemination of heritage values, therefore all conservation policies must put the people at the center. In the process of building the UNESCO nomination dossier, the local community, from the elders, artisan families to the people of Dong Khe quarter, all actively participated in providing documents, sharing techniques, discussing difficulties and proposing solutions to preserve the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings. That is a clear demonstration of the spirit of solidarity and unanimity of the local community in preserving heritage.

The province will direct the implementation of many synchronous solutions to facilitate the community's participation in heritage conservation such as: Restoring the Tet painting market, recreating the traditional cultural space; promoting on the media, spreading the value and applicability of Dong Ho paintings in contemporary life; creating conditions for artisans to participate in exhibitions and cultural and tourism events at home and abroad; ensuring natural raw materials, supporting artisans to buy scallop shells, expanding the market, promoting display, promotion and consumption of products; encouraging innovation, diversifying designs associated with new tastes...

Dong Ho paintings are used in stage design.

Identifying the important role of the young generation because they are the next generation to work in the profession, we will strengthen heritage education in schools and organize experiential activities and extracurricular learning for students in Dong Ho painting village; research and promulgate mechanisms and policies to encourage young people to participate in creating, designing new product models, applying paintings to cultural and tourism products...

When people truly become the subject, when the young generation is aware of their responsibility towards the heritage, Dong Ho folk paintings will be protected for a long time and have sustainable vitality in contemporary life.

- Sincerely thank the Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for his insightful and updated sharing!

Thanh Lam (compiled)

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/vice-chancellor-president-of-the-board-tinh-mai-son-expressed-proud-ness-when-he-died-on-his-own-homeland-recognized-by-international-recognition-postid432848.bbg