Culture - Sports

UNESCO official hails Vietnam’s role in protecting intangible cultural heritages

Vietnam has played an active role in implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003 Convention) in both international and national scales, stated Chief of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Section of UNESCO and Secretary of the 2003 Convention Tim Curtis.
UNESCO official hails Vietnam’s role in protecting intangible cultural heritages ảnh 1A performance of Hue court music, a UNESCO-recognised world intangible cultural heritage (Photo: thethaovanhoa.vn)
Paris (VNA) – Vietnam has playedan active role in implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of theIntangible Cultural Heritage (2003 Convention) in both international andnational scales, stated Chief of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Section ofUNESCO and Secretary of the 2003 Convention Tim Curtis.

In an interview granted to Vietnam NewsAgency's correspondent in Paris, Curtis said that Vietnam is currently home to 15 recognised intangible heritagesand the first country to switch some heritages from the list of urgentprotection to the list of the common heritage of the humanity.

The country has also showed its active rolethrough its engagement in the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguardingof the Intangible Cultural Heritage twice.

Vietnam has supplemented the CulturalHeritage Law 2009 with a number of new cultural policies, including therecognition of intangible cultural heritage.

Currently in Vietnam, intangible culturalheritages are recognised not only in national policies but also by all regions, alllocalities and all ethnic groups, he said, hailing Vietnam’s strong efforts inthe work.

UNESCO official hails Vietnam’s role in protecting intangible cultural heritages ảnh 2Chief of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Section of UNESCO and Secretary of the 2003 Convention Tim Curtis (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam has been aware of the role ofculture in the sustainable development and has put culture at a highposition in its national development policy, he stated, underlining that thisis an important message that the country is spreading.

According to Curtis, the 2003 Convention,which has taken effect for 20 years, has been ratified by 181 UNESCO membercountries, showing that the convention is meaningful for all.

Regarding measures that Vietnam should taketo protect its intangible cultural heritages, Curtis said that the protectionof intangible cultural heritage takes place through the transfer between generations which must ensure its continuity.

It is necessary to design new mechanism,while working with communities and integrating knowledge on heritageinto education and paying more attention to young people, as they are the person who will transferthe knowledge to future generations, he said.

Overall, the protection of intangiblecultural heritage should aim at achieving sustainable development goals eitherin agriculture, education or poverty reduction, he said, adding that intangiblecultural heritage matters should also be integrated into development policies.Vietnam has so far shown strong performance in the work and should continue tofollow this direction, he stated./.        
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