A delegation from the Vietnamese National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) attended the first session of the Inter-governmental Committee on Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage opened in Alger on Nov. 18.

The delegation was headed by Le Kinh Tai, the Commission's Secretary General and Head of the UNESCO Cultural Department under the Foreign Ministry.

The two-day session, which aimed to discuss and approve the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, was also attended by representatives from 23 other member countries and 36 observing countries.

During the session, delegates discussed operating instructions, supporting mechanism and standards of intangible cultural heritage registration with the aim of putting the convention into practice.

The convention was approved in 2003 in order to protect various forms such as oral legend, theatre arts, cultural traditions and customs, festivals, customs relating to nature and the universe and understandings about traditional handicrafts.

Under the convention, the UNESCO will assist countries in setting up an inventory of intangible cultural heritage and an international cooperation network in this field.

Addressing the opening ceremony, UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura highlighted concerted efforts of international communities in preserving cultural value, traditions and customs, as well as in protecting world cultural heritage.

Source: VNA