At 11 p.m. on April 10, 2025 (Paris time), UNESCO’s Executive Board officially recognized “The collection of composer Hoang Van” as a World Documentary Heritage.

According to UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee for the Memory of the World Programme, Vietnam’s nomination met all international criteria, with exceptional cultural and historical value.

The collection is well-preserved and easily accessible through a multilingual digital platform, helping to share Vietnamese cultural values with the global community.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van, head of the Vietnamese delegation, stated: “This recognition is not only an honor for composer Hoang Van and his family, but it also affirms the stature of Vietnamese music within humanity’s intellectual heritage. It reflects the enduring vitality of Vietnamese music - a living memory of history, echoing the spirit, identity, and aspirations of an entire nation.”

Le Thi Hong Van, Director of the Department of External Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Secretary-General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, called the inscription a “remarkable success,” achieved through the close cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and a team of domestic and international experts.

She emphasized that this is the fourth Vietnamese entry among UNESCO’s 570 global documentary heritages, and the very first musical heritage from Vietnam to be honored - an important contribution to the cultural legacy of both the nation and humanity.

The recognition is especially significant as Vietnam’s revised Cultural Heritage Law - set to take effect on July 1, 2025 - includes, for the first time, a dedicated chapter on documentary heritage. This highlights the growing attention of the government, state agencies, and society to preserving documentary history.

The collection features over 700 musical works composed between 1951 and 2010, capturing the social and historical transformations of Vietnam, as well as the spiritual life of its people.

Hoang Van masterfully blended European classical styles with Vietnamese traditional music, making his works not only artistic achievements but also invaluable sources for research in musicology, cultural studies, and history.