The Government Office with Document No. 2082/VPCP-KGVX, dated March 29, 2024, sent out the opinion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha regarding the submission of the "Mo Muong" and "Cheo art" dossiers to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Mo master Shaman Bui Van Rum from Rom Co hamlet, Thuong Coc commune, Lac Son district, introduces a set of items used for rituals.
Specifically, along with the "Cheo art", considering the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST), the assessment opinion of the National Cultural Heritage Council on requesting permission and submitting the national dossier "Mo Muong" for consideration and registration on UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Deputy PM Ha expressed the following opinion:
Agree to submit to UNESCO for consideration and inclusion of the "Mo Muong" intangible cultural heritage, covering the provinces of Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Son La, and Dak Lak, and Hanoi city, into the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding; authorise the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to sign the documents as required.
The Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO will preside over and coordinate with the MoCST to carry out necessary procedures to submit heritage dossiers to UNESCO, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and cultural heritage laws.
Mo Muong is a folk performance activity expressed in rituals associated with the spiritual life of the Muong people. The space for performing ritual activities and the mo chants takes place in community life and within each family organising a ceremony. The practitioners of Mo Muong are Mo masters who speak, recite, and sing mo chants during rituals. Mo Muong comprises many mo chants and sections used in specific ceremonies.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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