Practising Mother Goddesses worship, which is is based on an ancient system of beliefs in the incarnation of various deities channeled through mediums and believed to provide good health and prosperity (Photo: VNA) Nam Dinh (VNA) - A ceremony receiving UNESCO certificate of recognition for "PracticesRelated to the Viet Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses in Three Realms"as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was held on April 1 at thePhu Giay worshipping complex in the northern province of Nam Dinh.
Prominent at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Ministerof Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, acting Chief representativeUNESCO Vietnam Susan Vize, and many members of foreign diplomatic corps in Vietnam.
The worship is based on an ancient system ofbeliefs in the incarnation of various deities channeled through mediums andbelieved to provide good health and prosperity.
The ceremony showcased rites and artperformances honouring the unique values of the Mother Goddesses culturaland historical tradition.
Nam Dinh is considered the largest pilgrimagecentre for those who practise Mother Goddesses worship, with 287 temples andvestiges relating to the beliefs across the province.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports andTourism has prepared a plan to promote the beliefs widely in order to provide amore thorough understandings of the heritage, in association with promoting theimage of the province, which in turn will generate more opportunities for localtourism and socio-economic development.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Thien pledgedVietnam’s commitment to preserve the heritage after it officially received therecognition of the UNESCO. The highlight of the programme will be activities toimprove awareness, especially of the youth, in preserving and promotingthe Mother Goddesses beliefs.
The practice meetsbelief-related needs by people in their daily life and has been closelyassociated with historical and cultural figures, such as Lieu Hanh (referred toas the Mother of the World), as well as other spirits considered to belegendary national heroes.
Vietnam submitted the dossier on the Practices Related to theVietnamese Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms for UNESCOrecognition in 2015, but the consideration process was delayed until the end oflast year.
Vietnam’s Mother Goddesses worship was officially recognisedby UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 11th Conferenceof the Inter-Governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible CulturalHeritage, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from November 28 toDecember 3 last year.-VNA
VNA
