Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has approved the submission of the dossier of the Via Ba Chua Xu festival in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang for UNESCO's recognition as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
At a ritual procession of the goddess statue from the top of Sam mountain to the shrine as part of the festival. (Photo: baoangiang.com.vn)
He assigned the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to sign the dossier in line with regulations.
The Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO was tasked with being in charge of the submission and working with the ministry to complete all necessary procedures for sending the dossier to UNESCO prior to March 31.
The Via Ba Chua Xu festival honours the holy lady of Mount Sam in An Giang’s Chau Doc city. It annually takes place from the 22nd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month.
The event goes through a number of rituals, most importantly the rite of statue bathing on the opening day. According to a popular mythology, the goddess statue was discovered on the top of Mount Sam, and then carried to the foot of the mountain, where she has been housed and worshipped until today.
The festival also features a range of cultural activities, including musical concerts, a dragon-dance performance, and a boat race.
It was recognised as national intangible heritage in late 2014.