Individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving and promoting the value of xoan singing from Phú Thọ were awarded certificates of merit by the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hùng

PHÚ THỌ — The northern province of Phú Thọ has made considerable efforts to position xoan singing, a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage, as a distinctive tourism product, drawing significant interest from both domestic and international visitors.

Speaking at the conference to review the project for preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of xoan singing for the period 2020-2025, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phạm Thị Minh Lợi, noted that the project has achieved positive results.

She said it has largely achieved its outlined objectives within the established timeline. The efforts to protect and promote the artistic heritage of xoan singing have garnered strong support from generations of artisans and the local community.

Furthermore, local schools have actively participated, and the public has enthusiastically engaged, helping to disseminate the values associated with xoan singing.

Deputy Director of Phú Thọ Province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phạm Thị Minh Lợi. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hùng

According to her, the performance spaces, exhibition areas and heritage sites associated with the traditional xoan villages have progressively received investment and have been effectively utilised. This development harmonises the dual objectives of heritage conservation and community tourism growth.

“The conference is an important opportunity to reflect on noteworthy results and valuable lessons learned in the efforts to conserve and transmit this heritage. It will also help to define the direction, tasks, and practical solutions for the next phase,” she said.

Nguyễn Viết Cường, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, acknowledged and commended Phú Thọ’s significant achievements in the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Nguyễn Viết Cường, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hùng

Over recent times, under the guidance of local authorities and the active participation of the community and artisans, xoan singing has continued to be regularly practised, with its cultural values widely disseminated throughout daily life.

To ensure the sustainable preservation of the heritage in the next phase, the Department of Cultural Heritage has urged Phú Thọ Province, along with relevant departments, sectors and localities, to focus on several key tasks.

These include enhancing awareness and education about the value of xoan singing in connection with the worship of the Hùng Kings, fostering a broader community engagement.

They should continue to effectively organise practice and teaching activities at traditional xoan villages and schools, ensuring the authenticity and continuity of the heritage.

Additionally, there is a need to improve mechanisms and policies for artisan support, assist in the maintenance of xoan villages and singing clubs, and allocate budgets while mobilising social resources for conservation efforts.

Furthermore, developing sustainable tourism products linked to the heritage should be prioritised, alongside advancing the digitalisation of related materials and data using modern technology to ensure convenient and secure storage and access.

Xoan singing from Phú Thọ is not only a source of pride for the people of the ancestral land of the Vietnamese people but also a vibrant testament to the resilience and vitality of Vietnamese culture. In 2011, it was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Thanks to the persistent efforts of the country and province, and the community of practitioners, xoan singing was removed from this list in 2017, affirming the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Since then, it has officially become an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – a milestone that underscores the significance and enduring value of the heritage. — VNS