Inscribed in 2012 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the worship of Hung Kings in the northern province of Phu Tho is celebrated for one week at the beginning of the third lunar month.

The largest ceremony, the ancestral anniversary festival of the Hung Kings, draws millions of people annually to commemorate their ancestors and pray for good weather, abundant harvests, good luck, and good health. 

Intangible cultural heritage is inherently rich in folklore. Owners of heritage are those who have created, preserved, and practiced that heritage throughout history. National or UNESCO recognition of heritage is essentially to preserve the cultural diversity of the human community.

In Vietnam, the understanding, evaluation, preservation, and promotion of heritage to serve the people have recorded a host of achievements.

Through many years of war and destruction, along with the effects of economics and the penetration of modern cultures, Vietnam has retained many festivals and traditional values, which are highly recognised internationally. 

When culture and heritage truly become an internal force it will be an important resource for socio-economic development. Preservation in the development of intangible cultural heritage is a rule to help cultural diversity become richer and more valuable for humanity./.

VNA