 Mr. Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism presents the Certificate of 'Then practice of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam' on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to leaders of Tuyen Quang province. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
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Addressing the event, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized that the UNSECO inscription will introduce to international friends the unique cultural heritages of the northern mountainous region of Vietnam and make this area more attractive to tourists. He suggested that localities possessing Then heritage continue building extensive, creative and effective programs to promote social cohesion, encourage ideas and awareness of the identity and responsibility of local people in spreading and practicing community values. Attention should be paid to investing and creating favorable conditions for Then artisans to teach Then in the community and continuing to collect, store and publish ancient Then documents, President Phuc said.
Then is the mediator between the living people and the divine world. Practicing Then is an indispensable ritual in the spiritual life of the Tay, Nung and Thai people in Vietnam. Then practice is mainly found in 11 provinces including Tuyen Quang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Lao Cai.
“Then practice of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam" was officially inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 12, 2019, at the 14th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention for the Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in Bogotá, Colombia.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc also praised Tuyen Quang province for organizing Tuyen Citadel Festival, a unique festival initiated, maintained and developed by the people of Tuyen Quang for years. Guinness Vietnam Record recognized it as "Festival with the largest number of lantern models in Vietnam".
 President Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaking at the ceremony. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
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At the ceremony, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Christian Manhart awarded the Certificate of "Then practice of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam" on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to a leader of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Afterwards, the Certificate was handed over to the representatives of 11 provinces with a legacy of Then practice.