Speaking at a ceremony in Vinh Phuc on Friday night, Michael Croft, Head of UNESCO Office in Vietnam said: "Tugging rituals are deeply embedded in the social contexts of rice cultivating country of Vietnam, where people live in close approximity to each other and where harmonious cooperation is critical for survival. Despite social, cultural, and historical differences, we can identify common values for harmonious community and prosperity. This is exactly why the description of the tug-of-war is celebrated.”

At the 10^th meeting of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Intangible Heritage Protection in Namibia on November 2, tug-of war of Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, and the Philippines were honored as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A performance at the opening ceremony of the festival

The UNESCO recignition was part of the 10^th Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of ethnic groups in the northeastern region, themed “Preserving and Promoting Northeast Ethnic Culture in the Reform Process: Integration and Sustainable Development" which opened in Vinh Phuc province, on Friday night. Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, Truong Thi Mai, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, and National Assembly Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty attended the opening ceremony.

Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien said the festival aims to raise people’s awareness on the promotion and preservation of the traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in the northeastern region. “Visitors will enjoy the jubilant atmosphere of cultural events of ethnic groups in the northwestern region through performances of nearly 1,000 artists. They will perform folksongs and dances to showcase traditional musical instruments and clothes of ethnic people. Visitors will have a chance to play folk games and sport activities. The festival will help enhance unity among ethnic groups.”