The central province of Quang Binh held a ceremony in Dong Hoi city on April 24 to receive the UNESCO certificate in recognition of Bai Choi singing, a popular style of folklore singing in the central and south-central regions of Vietnam, as an intangible heritage of humanity.
A festival for Bai Choi groups and clubs in Quang Binh province was also officially opened at the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of Quang Binh provincial People’s Committee said that UNESCO’s recognition aimed not only to honour the unique values of Bai Choi singing but also to contribute to inspiring national pride and raising public awareness of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the locality.
He also asked the people and local authorities at all levels to join hands to preserve and sustainably promote the values of Bai Choi heritage to help it become a unique tourism product, attracting more domestic and foreign visitors to the province.
Bai Choi is a diverse art form combining music, poetry, acting, painting and literature.
It is often seen at spring festivals in Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Binh Dinh provinces.
At its 12th session in Jeju, the Republic of Korea, on December 7, 2017, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage officially decided to add Bai Choi singing to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.