Vietnam shines at UNESCO with traditional art and aspirations to rise up

UNESCO leaders and many international friends from the Delegation of various countries listened to Quan Ho melodies welcoming guests. Photo: Nguyen Thu Ha

The event attracted the participation of many senior officials of UNESCO and Vietnam such as Ms. Simona-Mirela Miculescu - President of the UNESCO General Assembly; Mr. Xing Qu - Deputy Director General of UNESCO; Mr. Ngo Le Van - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; Ms. Le Thi Hong Van - Secretary General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh - Ambassador, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO and Mr. Le Xuan Loi - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi introduced to international friends the land with a long-standing historical and cultural tradition, a place where a rich folk cultural treasure trove represents Vietnamese culture, the homeland of 4 intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO including: Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs, Ca Tru, Tug of war rituals and games of Huu Chap village and Practice of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese people.

With the desire to always receive the attention and support of international friends in connecting, spreading and promoting the image and traditional cultural values of Bac Ninh province, Vice Chairman Le Xuan Loi especially called for the support of UNESCO so that this year "Dong Ho folk painting craft" will be included in the List of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection of humanity.

For his part, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van also affirmed that Bac Ninh is a land that represents Vietnamese culture, not only the homeland of Quan Ho folk songs, an art form formed from the knowledge, ethics and humanistic practices of the Vietnamese people, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, but also the birthplace of Dong Ho folk paintings - works made from natural materials, not only of artistic value, but also a profound declaration of the harmonious lifestyle between humans and nature of the Vietnamese people.

According to Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van, Vietnam is entering a new era - a journey of national development, driven by knowledge, innovation and aspiration for stronger development. On this journey, culture is considered the spiritual foundation of society, the goal and also the internal driving force for the country's development. Promoting cultural values and the strength of the Vietnamese people is the key to realizing the aspiration of building a strong and prosperous nation.

"Through the introduction of Bac Ninh, Vietnam wishes to honor the core values that UNESCO has always pursued: preserving heritage, respecting cultural diversity and promoting sustainable development," he said. The Deputy Minister also said that the event is even more meaningful as it is part of a series of activities to celebrate the 135th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh - National Liberation Hero, Outstanding Cultural Celebrity honored by UNESCO in 1987. This is an opportunity to honor the ideological, moral and cultural heritage values that President Ho Chi Minh left behind, while strongly spreading the message of peace, humanity and international cooperation that he pursued throughout his life.

Appreciating Vietnam's active and dynamic contribution to UNESCO's activities, Mr. Xing Qu, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, affirmed that the event not only aims to honor the richness and diversity of Vietnamese culture, a strong and resilient country that overcomes all challenges, but also an opportunity for international friends to express their support and close relationship with this country. Recalling the historic visit of General Secretary To Lam to UNESCO headquarters in October 2024, contributing to raising bilateral relations to a new height, Mr. Xing Qu expressed his hope that Vietnam will further promote its dynamic role at UNESCO, especially in the field of heritage conservation and promotion of human cultural values.

The highlight of the event was the campaign to recognize Dong Ho folk paintings as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection. Therefore, guests attending the program were invited to experience the craft of making Dong Ho paintings, which has a history of more than 500 years, famous for its folk wood carvings made entirely by hand and using natural materials.

With the guidance of artisan Nguyen Dang Tam, who has 34 years of experience, Ms. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the UNESCO General Assembly, printed the picture herself. Expressing her delight at this vivid experience, she shared: "I love your traditional costumes, I love your spirit and the depth of your culture. And I am very proud that I can now make a picture of a Vietnamese rooster myself. You are a wonderful people, and your country is a country that is rising strongly."

Mr. Oualid Mahdaoui, from the Algerian delegation, said: "It was truly impressive to witness artisans and craftsmen demonstrating traditional techniques, which can be understood as the precursors of modern printing and contemporary art. When we saw with our own eyes the techniques created by our predecessors, we were amazed and happy to have the opportunity to experience this. Thank you, Vietnam, for organizing this cultural event at UNESCO - a very suitable place to organize events like this. We are very happy and would like to encourage your country to continue sharing its rich culture with us."

Coming to the journey to discover Vietnam, guests will not only experience the traditional printing craft, or other folk crafts such as calligraphy, clay figurine making, but also immerse themselves in the folk songs of Quan Ho, enjoy special dishes and sip cups of tea imbued with Vietnamese identity. In particular, the program also introduces a photo exhibition space about the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh - National Liberation Hero, Outstanding Cultural Man of the Vietnamese people, on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of his birth.

The event ended with the belief that Dong Ho folk paintings will soon be recognized by UNESCO, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the unique traditional cultural values of the Vietnamese people. Mr. Nguyen Dang Tam, a Dong Ho painting artisan, shared: "We really hope that one day soon the recognition bell will ring at UNESCO in Paris. That will be an honor for those who work in the profession and for our entire Dong Ho village". Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province Le Xuan Loi also expressed: "With a series of activities at home and abroad, along with the dossier that we have submitted to UNESCO, we really hope that in 2025, Dong Ho folk paintings will be recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in need of urgent protection".

The night "Vietnam - Cultural quintessence and aspirations to rise" at UNESCO is not only a simple cultural and artistic event but also a mission to promote and preserve the quintessence of the nation. Through sweet Quan Ho melodies and colorful Dong Ho paintings, Vietnamese culture once again proves its strong vitality and ability to connect people, regardless of geographical distance or cultural differences.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/19/171371/viet-nam-toa-sang-tai-unesco-voi-nghe-thuat-trayen-thong-va-khat-vong-vuon-minh