At 9:47 a.m. on December 4 (local time), during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held at the Conmebol Convention Center in Asunción, Paraguay, UNESCO officially inscribed Vietnam’s Sam Mountain Ba Chua Xu Festival onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The festival, held annually from the 22nd to the 27th day of the fourth lunar month, is a vibrant celebration of Ba Chua Xu, a revered goddess in Vietnamese folk religion who is believed to protect and bless the people.

This event attracts participation from Khmer, Cham, Hoa, and Kinh communities in Chau Doc, An Giang Province, as well as residents across the southwestern region of Vietnam. The festival embodies the collective hopes and prayers for health, peace, and prosperity.

Ba Chua Xu, worshiped as a protective and nurturing deity, holds a central role in the spiritual lives of her devotees.

The recognition by UNESCO elevates the importance of the festival as a shared cultural heritage, fostering community cohesion among Vietnam’s diverse ethnic groups. It also underscores a broader aspiration for harmony, favorable weather, and well-being.

The inclusion of the Sam Mountain Ba Chua Xu Festival on UNESCO’s prestigious list is expected to enhance public awareness of the need to preserve and promote this cultural legacy.

It will encourage collective efforts to manage and safeguard the festival while highlighting its role in celebrating and respecting cultural diversity.

On behalf of Vietnam and the communities practicing the festival, Nguyen Minh Vu, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the National UNESCO Committee of Vietnam, along with Le Hong Quang, Party Secretary of An Giang Province, pledged to implement necessary measures to protect the festival's cultural values.

Tinh Le