Vietnamese Dong Ho folk painting craft named in UNESCO's urgent safeguarding list
VGP - The Dong Ho folk painting craft was added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Need of Urgent Safeguarding at the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of ICH held in New Delhi, India on December 9.
Vietnamese representatives celebrate UNESCO's recognition of Dong Ho folk painting craft in need of urgent safeguarding at the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, India, December 9, 2025 - Photo: VOV
This is Viet Nam's 17th intangible cultural heritage element so far recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Dong Ho folk paintings are closely tied to major traditional festivals, including the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as ancestral and deity worship. However, only a handful of families in Bac Ninh province still practice the craft, passing skills down informally within households.
The number of skilled artisans has fallen sharply due to limited economic prospects and declining demand for traditional woodblock prints during festivals, leaving too few practitioners to sustain transmission.
Viet Nam's safeguarding plan includes training classes, systematic inventorying, design development, market diversification, improved access to raw materials, and the provision of protective equipment for artisans.
UNESCO assessed these measures as feasible, sustainable and inclusive, with the practicing community playing a central role.
UNESCO encouraged Viet Nam to integrate the craft into both formal and informal education to foster understanding among younger generations and strengthen long-term preservation efforts.
Viet Nam currently has 37 heritage elements recognized on UNESCO's various lists, including world cultural and natural heritage sites, intangible cultural heritage elements, and documentary heritage entries.
Bac Ninh province alone is home to several notable UNESCO-inscribed elements, including Quan ho (love duet singing), Ca tru (ceremonial singing), Mother Goddess worship and Huu Chap tug-of-war tradition, underscoring its role as a major center of Vietnamese cultural identity.
The "Baby boy holds chicken" painting.
Representing Viet Nam and the Dong Ho folk painting community, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, who is also Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and Mai Son, Standing Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee affirmed Viet Nam's commitment to implementing the necessary measures to safeguard the values of the Dong Ho folk painting tradition./.
