Pham Sanh Chau, Head of UNESCO’s Department of Culture and Foreign Relations, who is also Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam’s National Committee, granted an exclusive interview to VOV on the issue.

Reporter: The Giong festival was recently recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Being directly involved in compiling the documentation of the Giong festival and other documents submitted to UNESCO, could you share with us what you have in mind?

Mr Chau: I want to congratulate people in Phu Dong in Gia Lam district, and those in the Soc Temple area of Hanoi on UNESCO’s recognition of their great efforts in preserving cultural traditions and customs.  

From now on, people in Phu Dong as well as in the Soc Temple area will continue to promote Vietnam’s image as a beautiful nation with a long history and a culture imbued with national identity.

UNESCO’s recognition also paves the way for Vietnam to conduct research and contribute more documents to the list of intangible cultural heritages every year. More than 7,000 festivals are held in Vietnam providing a good opportunity for people in different parts of the country to introduce their cultural traditions and customs to foreign visitors.

Reporter: In 2010, Vietnam set a record in terms of introducing cultural heritage sites to the world. Do you think so?

Mr Chau: 2010 was one of the most successful years for Vietnam’s external affairs in general and its cultural diplomacy in particular. It was also a successful year in terms of urging UNESCO to recognise Vietnam’s cultural heritage sites, at least in four different categories of the global geographical park network, including 82 doctorate steles in Van Mieu (Temple of Literature), Thang Long Royal Citadel, Giong Festival and Dong Van Stone Highlands.

Doctorate steles

Vietnam also organised a series of activities in foreign countries through “Vietnamese Culture Days”. More important still, it devised a cultural diplomacy strategy for the next ten years and finalised procedures for organising Vietnamese Culture Day abroad.

Reporter: What lessons have we drawn from introducing Vietnamese cultural heritage sites to the world?

Mr Chau: The successes of 2010 can be summed up in three words: Enthusiasm, Talent, and Power. Enthusiasm stands for the aspirations of all people, and relevant agencies to preserve cultural heritage sites. It also reflects people’s determination in promoting and preserving cultural heritage sites.

For example, to preserve 82 doctorate steles, those in charge have to research the characteristics of each stele and the messages they convey. In addition, Vietnam’s National Commission for UNESCO is very quick at seizing opportunities to submit all necessary documents to UNESCO. Power stands for financial, human and other resources.

Reporter: During her recent visit to Vietnam, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova emphasised that Vietnam should retain historical values through conserving and preserving cultural heritage sites. Do you agree with her viewpoint?

Mr Chau: I absolutely agree with her opinion as cultural heritage sites really bear national identity, much like footprints left by the old generations. Our ancestors had sacrificed a lot in the past struggles to preserve these heritage sites so we should treasure them unless we preserve them, nothing will be left for future generations. No wonder we will lose our traditional cultural values or, in other word, we will lose ourselves.

Reporter: In your opinion, what do we have to do to preserve cultural heritage sites?

Mr Chau: It is necessary to raise public awareness of the need to preserve cultural heritage sites. We take pride in our glorious history of fighting against foreign invaders.

As for the Giong Festival, people were not instructed to preserve it but they themselves have protected the heritage sites for thousands of years with support from the Party and State. When I submitted the dossier of Thang Long Royal Citadel to UNESCO, I was asked if the government would allow the construction of high buildings surrounding the citadel once it was recognised as the world’s cultural heritage site.

I answered that the Vietnamese government had banned the construction of high rise buildings around the Citadel. UNESCO was very satisfied with the leaders’ determination to preserve cultural values.

Reporter: In 2011, which cultural heritage sites will be proposed for UNESCO’s recognition?

Mr Chau: Vietnam has a system of institutes and many researchers. They will have a final answer about which cultural heritage will be chosen for submission to UNESCO. In 2011, some documents relating to the Ho Dynasty Citadel, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, and the Temple of Literature will submitted for the second time, others will include Buddhist wood block bible in Vinh Nghiem Pagoda and southern amateur music (Don ca tai tu).

Vietnam has 13 relics already recognised by UNESCO as the world’s heritage sites:

·         Three world’s natural heritages:

-          Ha Long Bay was recognised twice as the world’s natural heritage site in 1994 and the Geographic World Heritage site in 2000.

-          Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park was recognised as the world’s natural heritage site in 2003.

-          The Dong Van Stone Highlands was recognised as a global geopark in 2010

   Ten world’s cultural heritage sites:

-          Ancient Hue relics complex in 1990

-          Hoi An ancient street in 1999

-          My Son Relics in 1999

-          Hue Royal Court Music in 2003

-          Central Highland Gongs Culture in 2005

-          Bac Ninh Folk Songs (Quan ho Bac Ninh) in 2009

-          Ca Tru (ceremonial singing) in 2009

-          Thang Long Royal Citadel in 2010

-          Giong Festival in Phu Dong and Soc Temple in 2010

-          82 doctorate steles in the Temple of Literature in 2010.

Kim Tuyen