An Giang receives UNESCO certificate for Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain

Delegates at the event

This is the 16th intangible cultural heritage element of Vietnam recognized by UNESCO and the second UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage of the Southern region alongside the art of Don ca tai tu (amateur singing in the South). It is also the first honorably recognized traditional festival of the Mekong River Delta.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh highlighted An Giang as a land endowed with natural beauty, a gathering of typical cultures of ethnic groups in the Southwestern region and the host of the two aforementioned events. He said that it is the honor and pride of not only the Party committee, authorities and people of An Giang province, but also of the Southern region and Vietnam as a whole.

Deputy PM Mai Van Chinh speaks at the event.

The UNESCO’s certificate has demonstrated the recognition of the efforts of generations of local people who have been tirelessly preserved and promoted cultural and ritual values of the festival. Over the past more than 200 years, the Ba Chua Xu worshipping ritual has become an important spiritual fulcrum for millions of people nationwide, including those in the Southern region.

The government leader hoped for continued support from international organizations, particularly UNESCO, to Vietnam in the efforts of preserving and bringing into play the traditional cultural values and spreading national cultural quintessence in the flow of the culture of mankind. He underlined that culture is the spiritual foundation of a society, the soul of a nation, and a source of motivation for socio-economic development. Thus, promoting culture is to promote internal strength, arouse patriotism and national pride and aspiration for building a prosperous and happy country.

Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain recognized by UNESCO as an element of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

He took this occasion to express deep thanks to generations of folk artisans and local people, and acknowledge the contribution of scientists and researchers to preserving and promoting values of the heritage.

Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain is annually organized from the 22nd to 27th days of April in lunar calendar.

Translated by Chung Anh