Prime Minister directs work to protect cultural heritage of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs

The 4th Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Festival in 2018. Photo courtesy

On July 30, 2020, the Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch No. 1003/TTg-KGVX on the implementation of the work of protecting and promoting the values ​​of the representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs (recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity since November 2014).

According to Official Dispatch No. 1003, the Prime Minister requested the People's Committees of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces to proactively balance the annual local budget and mobilize other legal capital sources to protect and promote the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk song heritage in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to guide Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces in implementing measures to protect and promote the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs heritage according to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Take the lead in coordinating with provinces and centrally run cities and relevant ministries and agencies to develop a Program to protect and promote representative intangible cultural values ​​of humanity of Vietnam, including Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs in accordance with the provisions of law. Submit to competent authorities for consideration and inclusion in the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2021 - 2025 and the following years.

Urgently research, review, propose adjustments, supplements or promulgate new regulations and policies on protecting, managing and promoting the values ​​of Vietnam's representative intangible cultural heritages of humanity, and report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.

A folk song performance staged. Photo: Archive

This policy of the Prime Minister is another step to fulfill the commitment of the Vietnamese Government to the international community for the heritages recognized by UNESCO in general; to do a good job of protecting and promoting the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs in particular in contemporary life; to raise awareness of responsibility for protecting, practicing and transmitting Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs in the community. Gradually promote the value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs to become a typical cultural product for tourism development, contributing to promoting economic, cultural and social development in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

Previously, on June 26, 2020, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Document No. 4066/TTr-UBND requesting the Government to have policies to support the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage value of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs.