10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition of Quan ho singing marked

A Quan ho Bac Ninh performance at the programme (Photo: VNA)

The “Ve mien Quan Ho” (Coming to the Quan ho region) programme was jointly organised on February 23 by the provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Fatherland Front Committee.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tu Quynh said that after 10 years since Quan Ho singing was honoured by UNESCO (2009-2019), with the efforts of the political system and local people, Bac Ninh province has seriously implemented its commitments with UNESCO to preserving and fostering heritage values and spreading Quan Ho singing.

From only 49 original Quan Ho villages and 34 clubs, there are now 369 Quan Ho villages and 381 clubs with over 10,000 members. Especially, more than 140 clubs are run in other provinces and by overseas Vietnamese communities.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam praised the achievements made by the provincial Party Committee, authorities and people over the past few years. The conservation and promotion of Quan Ho singing of Bac Ninh province is a unique and effective model, which needs to be replicated in the preservation of intangible cultural heritage throughout the country, he noted.

According to him, in order to preserve and spread Quan ho singing, the people play a central role. The responsibility for conserving and promoting the Quan ho folk song heritage values does not only stop within Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces but also in the whole country, with all Vietnamese at home and abroad involved.

On the occasion, the Deputy PM presented the Prime Minister's certificate of merit to the Party Committee, authorities and people of Bac Ninh province for their achievements in the conservation and development of Quan ho folk songs.

Quan Ho is an art form that combines various elements, including music, lyrics and costumes, and features the distinctive culture of people in the region formerly called Kinh Bac.

The art of love duets was inscribed in UNESCO’s representative list of intangible cultural heritage in September 2009.

In recent years, Bac Ninh has invested in renovation and construction of cultural institutions. Of which, the key project is Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk theatre. The 90-billion-VND project boasts an area of 1.9 ha on four floors. It has a unique architectural design in the image of a house, dragon boat, a strip of peach silk and a large round hat, bearing cultural features of Bac Ninh – Kinh Bac.

Implementing its commitment with UNESCO, the province has called for concerted efforts in jointly implementing the project "Preserving and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage, Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs and Ca tru in 2013-2020”.

In particular, Bac Ninh is the leading province in developing mechanisms and policies to honour and reward artisans in the field of intangible cultural heritage. This is a move to nurture passion, enthusiasm, dedication of talents to preserve and promote the cultural heritage values of the nation.-VNA