Vietnam is one of the first pioneers to implement the 2003
Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, which has been
adopted by 100 nations round the world in effort to protect their
cultural heritage.

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova was
speaking at a recent international seminar on experiences and
orientations for preserving intangible cultural heritage in Vietnam’s
central Quang Nam province.

The Vietnamese government’s
determination and action were a source of encouragement to its people to
get them involved in preserving and upholding intangible cultural
heritage, and sharing valuable historical assets and cultural diversity,
she said.

Vietnamese localities should make greater
preservation efforts for the long term, she said, adding that culture
gives birth to heritage and plays a key role in the development process.

Professor Dr. Dawnhee Yim from Donggok University in the
Republic of Korea (RoK) shared some experiences in safeguarding
intangible cultural heritage.

Over the past four decades,
masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity have become
a focal point in conservation policies of the Convention on Protecting
Intangible Cultural Heritage in the RoK.

However, rapid
modernisation and urbanisation has created changes in time-honoured
traditions, which may pose a threat to intangible cultural heritage such
as traditional customs and rituals, the professor said.

Professor Dr. Roger L. Janelli from Bloomington University in the US
highlighted the importance of the concepts of tangible and intangible in
cultural heritage. He cited the Pyramids in Egypt and the Ho Dynasty
Citadel in Vietnam as typical examples of tangible heritage.

These heritage sites are of great significance to local people and have
become symbols of their nations. Similarly, festivals and religious
rituals are vivid examples of intangible heritage featuring traditional
costumes, musical instruments and other items.

Dr. Tvrtko Zebec
from the Croatia Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research suggested
making digitalised documents of cultural heritage.

Writings,
photographs, videos and audio files are a vital source of input for
advertising culture and establishing a network of heritage owners. This
will help researchers and scientists in their work and offer the public
easier access to heritage documents. It will also make it easier and
more convenient for heritage owners, cultural organisations, policy
makers and tour operators to fully tap the potential of cultural
heritage, he added.-VNA