Artisan Nguyen Dang Tam introduces Dong Ho paintings at the event “Vietnam Day in France 2023”. (Photo: Courtesy of Nguyen Dang Tam)

UNESCO’s recognition was a long-awaited moment for Dong Ho artisans like Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Dang Tam.

“This is a great joy and encouragement and also a responsibility for us. It will drive the development of our craft,” said Tam.

As an artisan who has worked hard to promote Dong Ho folk paintings at home and abroad, Tam has been preparing plans for the future of the craft. His top priority is to preserve and safeguard the traditional elements that define the essence of Dong Ho paintings: natural pigments, woodblock printing on poonah paper coated with seashell powder, and themes that strictly follow standards passed down through generations.

But at the same time Tam and his family are exploring new approaches, new tailored methods of promotion and outreach, to make Dong Ho paintings more appealing to younger people.

“We encourage our offspring to preserve the craft. And we need to help young people better understand the traditional culture of Dong Ho,” he said. 

Foreign visitors take part in hands-on experiences at the Dong Ho Folk Painting Cultural Exchange Center run by Nguyen Đang Tam’s family (Photo: Courtesy of Nguyen Dang Tam)

There was a time when Dong Ho folk painting was in decline, so people deeply devoted to the tradition, like Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Huu Qua, made a heroic effort to preserve and revive this precious heritage. With UNESCO’s recognition, Qua hopes the craft will once again draw growing numbers of people eager to experience and engage with Dong Ho folk painting.

“We must promote Dong Ho painting and pass the craft on to future generations, while making an effort to preserve its cultural values. Research is needed to ensure that the content of Dong Ho painting maintains its original cultural essence,” Qua said.

For Bac Ninh province, UNESCO’s recognition creates opportunities to engage with experts and adopt advanced conservation models, and position Dong Ho paintings as a cultural tourism product through experiential activities, education programs, and exhibitions.

The Vietnamese delegation celebrates as UNESCO inscribes “The Craft of Dong Ho Folk Painting” on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, December 9, 2025. (Photo: Anh Tuan/VOV correspondent in Paris)

Nguyen Van Dap, Deputy Director of Bac Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said,“We’ll ask provincial authorities to develop comprehensive plans and projects to safeguard the heritage, focusing on supporting artisans, and expanding vocational training for young people, and training in heritage management skills. We’ll also prioritize preserving the spaces where the traditional craft is practiced.”

With regard to original source materials, the province will continue to inventory, digitize, and preserve woodblock systems, ancient painting samples, folk knowledge, and related historical materials, while building databases to support research, education, and heritage promotion in line with international standards, said Dap.