At 14:38 on December 8, 2025 in New Delhi, India (ie 16:08 Hanoi time), the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention on the Protection of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage officially opened at the Phap Dai Do World Cultural Heritage.
In this working session, the Committee approved Decision No. 20.COM 7.a.1, to include the Dong Ho Folk Paintmaking Craft in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage That Need Emergency Protection. This is the 17th heritage of Vietnam to be recognized by UNESCO in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
The Dong Ho folk painting making profession in Dong Khe quarter, Thuan Thanh ward, Bac Ninh province, was born about 500 years ago. The community has created paintings with specific thematic characteristics, printing techniques, colors and graphics using woodblock printing techniques. The topics of the paintings often include worship paintings, interwoven paintings, historical paintings, daily paintings, landscape paintings, associated with the custom of hanging paintings on Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, ancestor worship and worship of deities.
The steps of making samples, carving printing boards, coloring, and printing paintings are all done by hand. The painting is painted with a pencil, grape ink on paper and engraved on a wood panel. The colors are made from natural materials: green from indigo leaves, red from pebbles, yellow from Sophora japonica and devoted fruits, white from phong Hoa scallop powder, black from bamboo leaf ash, straw. The painting is printed on a plank with 5 basic colors on Do paper coated with a layer of gold leaf. The colors are printed according to the principle of red printed first, followed by blue, yellow, white. The blackboard was printed last to complete the painting.
According to the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the dossier for Nomination of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Dong Ho People's paintingmaking in Vietnam meets the criteria for being added to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage That Need Emergency Protection, as follows:
1. Dong Ho folk painting is closely associated with important ceremonies such as Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as rituals of worshiping ancestors and idols. Today, only a few families continue to maintain this profession, passing on knowledge and skills within the family and giving learners a job through direct guidance and practical pairing. Some stages such as sample drawing and printing require in-depth training and accumulating experience over many years. The wood engravings are considered a family treasure, passed down through many generations.
2. The number of skilled artisans has decreased sharply (according to the nomination documents, only a few households still maintain the profession), due to the younger generation's lack of interest, the profession is difficult to ensure a livelihood, and the demand for woodcut printing during traditional holidays has decreased. The number of people with high skills and enthusiasm for pursuing the profession is too small to maintain teaching and painting, so the profession needs to be urgently protected.
3. The protection plan sets out seven goals, including: opening vocational training classes, inventorying heritage, designing samples, diversifying markets, improving access to raw materials, and providing protective equipment for artisans. The proposed activities are feasible, in line with the goals and sustainability, while placing the community at the center.
4. The records show the active participation of the community, especially families working in the profession, in the entire process of making records, through inventory activities and public events.
5. The heritage has been included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage inventories, regularly updated with the participation of the community.
Accordingly, the 2003 Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention decided to include the Dong Ho Folk Painting making profession in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage That Should be Emergencyly protected and encouraged Vietnam to consider integrating this heritage into the education system, both formal and informal, to encourage the younger generation to understand and appreciate the importance of heritage protection.
UNESCO's recognition of Dong Ho Folk Painting making into the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage That Need Emergency Protection has profound significance for the Vietnamese practice community and the public. First of all, it affirms the unique historical and artistic value of the profession, while creating motivation for artisans to continue to preserve the skills and secrets of traditional crafts facing the risk of extinction.
In addition, the registration helps raise social awareness of the importance of heritage, promote the interest of the younger generation and encourage protection support activities from the organization to the community. Moreover, this is also an opportunity to promote the cultural image of Vietnam to the world, contributing to nurturing national pride and protecting the diversity of Vietnamese cultural identity.
To date, the whole country has had 37 heritages listed by UNESCO in the UNESCO List (including 9 world cultural and natural heritages, 17 intangible cultural heritages and 11 documentary heritages). In particular, Bac Ninh province has typical heritages recognized and recognized by UNESCO, including: 5 intangible cultural heritages representing humanity (Bac Ninh family, Dong Ho folk painting craft, Ca Tru, Mother worship belief, Toan Huu Chap); 1 Inter-provincial World Cultural Heritage (Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex), including important relics such as Vinh Nghiem Pagoda; Vinh Nghiem Buddhist temple document is included in the World Memories List for the Asia - Pacific region, becoming an honor and pride not only for the people of Bac Ninh province but also for the people of the whole country.
On behalf of Vietnam and the community practicing the Dong Ho folk painting heritage, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Hoang Dao Cuong and Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh Mai Son province gave a speech in response and pledged to take necessary measures to protect the values of the Dong Ho folk painting craft, thanked the Advisory Board and members of the Intergovernmental Committee for the 2003 Convention, the Secretariat for the 2003 Convention for their dedicated and impartial work to recognize this heritage of Vietnam.
