Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO congratulates on the occasion of Musician Hoang Van's Collection becoming a World Documentary Heritage

The delegation of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO was led by Mr. Nguyen Minh Vu, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs , Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO (National Commission).

Also attending the meeting were Mr. Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vice President of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; Ms. Le Thi Hong Van, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy, Secretary General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; Mr. Dao Quyen Truong, Vice President of the Vietnam National Committee for the Memory of the World Program; Dr. Vu Minh Huong, Vice President of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for the Asia-Pacific Region...

On behalf of the late musician Hoang Van's family, there was the presence of Professor, Conductor Le Phi Phi; Mr. Nguyen Phu Binh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs .

On behalf of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu sent warm congratulations to the family of the late musician Hoang Van, and emphasized: UNESCO's official inscription of "The Collection of Musician Hoang Van" into the World Documentary Heritage List is not only an honor for the late musician and his family, but also an affirmation of the stature and sustainable value of Vietnamese revolutionary music - a musical genre that both deeply inherits the quintessence of national instrumental music and strongly develops in a professional and academic direction. This event contributes to honoring Vietnamese culture in the treasure trove of intellectual heritage of humanity, vividly demonstrating the spirit of Vietnam's initiative, responsibility and contribution to world civilization - as General Secretary To Lam emphasized during his visit to UNESCO in October 2024.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu also said that this registration has special significance as it takes place on the occasion of the country celebrating the 50th anniversary of Reunification Day, towards the 80th anniversary of National Day and the 95th anniversary of the birth of musician Hoang Van (1930-2025). The Deputy Minister respectfully acknowledges and highly appreciates the persistent and dedicated efforts of the late musician Hoang Van's family in preserving, being willing to widely share and internationalize this precious collection, thereby contributing to the strong spread of Vietnamese musical heritage, integrating into the general flow of world culture.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu expressed his hope that the family will continue to preserve and promote the value of the heritage, and work with authorities in researching, educating and promoting Vietnamese cultural values ​​internationally.

He also noted that this success was the result of close coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, the Vietnamese Delegation to UNESCO, and a team of domestic and international experts.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong emphasized the special significance of the "Collection of Musician Hoang Van" becoming the first World Documentary Heritage in the field of music in Vietnam and the only one in the region up to now. This result not only recognizes the outstanding contribution of a great talent to national music, but also marks an important step forward in the effort to preserve and promote the value of Vietnam's cultural heritage in the international arena. This honor is even more meaningful when the revised Law on Cultural Heritage, for the first time dedicating a chapter to documentary heritage, will officially take effect from July 1, 2025.

Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong also highly appreciated the efforts of the late musician Hoang Van's family in digitizing the entire collection, building a website system introducing it in 5 languages ​​(Vietnamese, English, French, Russian, Chinese), helping to spread the heritage value to a wide audience at home and abroad. He emphasized that this wide access not only helps the community better understand the value of Vietnamese music but also contributes to raising awareness of preserving documentary heritage, fostering pride and love for the homeland and country for the younger generations.

Sharing at the meeting, Dr. Vu Minh Huong, UNESCO consultant, said: The process of building the dossier encountered many difficulties due to the very high requirements for an international dossier, especially when this was the first dossier initiated by a private family. Solving copyright issues, the mindset of bringing heritage to the public, and the way to express the international stature of the massive body of works of Musician Hoang Van were major challenges. However, the success of this dossier opens an important precedent, showing Vietnam's great potential in building documentary heritage dossiers, not only from state agencies but also from families, clans, organizations, and associations.

On behalf of the family, Professor and Conductor Le Phi Phi expressed deep gratitude to Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong, leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, Vietnam Delegation to UNESCO, and experts and researchers who have wholeheartedly supported the family throughout the process of completing and submitting the dossier.

The professor emotionally shared: "The fact that my father's collection was recognized by UNESCO is not only an honor for our family, but also a sacred incense offering to the late musician Hoang Van. We clearly understand that today's honor is not only for the family but also a worthy recognition for Vietnamese music. Our family is committed to continuing to preserve and promote the value of the late musician's musical heritage, spreading it to a wide audience at home and abroad."

Musician Hoang Van (1930–2018) is one of the great monuments of modern Vietnamese music, author of many immortal songs such as "Ho keo phao," "Quang Binh que ta oi," "Bai ca xay dung," "Nguoi chien si ay"... and also made important contributions in the fields of symphony, choir, film music and children's music, leaving a deep impression in the hearts of many generations of Vietnamese audiences.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/uy-ban-quoc-gia-unesco-viet-nam-chuc-mung-nhan-dip-bo-suu-tap-cua-nhac-si-hoang-van-tro-thanh-di-san-tu-lieu-the-gioi-post875680.html