Xoe Thai, the unique folk dance of Vietnam’s Thai ethnic minority group (Photo: VNA) Chinh made the statement at a ceremony to receive the UNESCO certificate recognisingXoe Thai as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity held on September 24 inNghia Lo town, the northwestern province of Yen Bai.
The PM, on behalf of leaders of the Party and State, congratulatedthe authorities and people of ethnic groups in Yen Bai, Son La, Lai Chau, and DienBien on the honour and expressed his belief that the recognition of Xoe Thai asVietnam’s14th heritage inscribed by UNESCO is a moment of great pride for theThai ethnic people and the community of the country's 54 ethnic groups.
He praised generations of folk artists and the Thai ethnic community for theirtremendous efforts to conserve this priceless cultural heritage.
He also thanked and praised the efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, andTourism, the National Council for Cultural Legacy, other relevant ministries,agencies, and localities, collectors, and researchers to preserve and promoteXoe Thai and Vietnam’s cultural heritages in general.
The Government leader expressed his hope that UNESCO's Representative Officeand Chief Representative in Vietnam Christian Manhart would continue to provideVietnam with close cooperation and effective help to ensure that the country'scultural values are widely spread and go in tune with the cultural quintessenceof humanity.
To continue to create new vitality, spread, and strongly inspire the value ofXoe Thai, the Prime Minister asked the authorities, people, and Thai communityin the northwestern provinces, as well as the Ministry of Culture, Sports, andTourism to work together to effectively implement the "National ActionProgramme to protect and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritageof Xoe Thai art" in accordance with the commitment to UNESCO.
"Let us do it with enthusiasm, with heart, with pride, withinner strength, so that the lyrics and music of Xoekhan, Xoe non, Xoe quat, Xoesap, Xoe gay, Xoe hoa [ Xoe dancing using various propssuch as scarves, hats]... continueto be nurtured, developed, and spread among the community of ethnicgroups," he said.
According to PM Chinh, the noble and beautiful value of Xoe Thaiart should be protected and promoted internationally as well as domestically.Therefore, it is vital to recognise that this is the representative intangiblecultural legacy of humanity and take appropriate action.
He urged expanding studies and coming up with concrete plans to protect andenhance the identity of ethnic groups in general and the value of Xoe Thai inparticular in socio-economic growth and tourism development.
Xoe Thai represents the convergence of cultural beauty. (Photo: VNA) At the ceremony, Pauline Tamesis, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam,presented the UNESCO certificate recognising Xoe Thai art as an IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humanity to the representative of the Ministry of Culture,Sports, and Tourism, as well as leaders of the People's Committees of Yen Bai,Son La, Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces.
Tamesis offered congratulations on this significant event and wished that theThai community and Vietnamese people would continue to maintain, promote, anddisseminate the significance of Xoe Thai art, while also contributing more toUNESCO's activities and human culture.
Following the ceremony, attendees enjoyed the art space andexperience the local distinctive culture through an art programme themed "XoeThai - Quintessence of the heritage land."
Artists from Yen Bai, Son La, and Lai Chau all participated in the beautifullystaged art programme, which featured all forms of Xoe Thai art.
The programme ended with the performance "Thequintessence of Xoe art," which brought together traditionalfolklore values that have become the heritage of the Thai ethnic people in theNorthwest, with the involvement of more than 2,000 artisans and performers./.
VNA
