The central province of Nghe An is implementing a series of measures to preserve and promote the value of Vi-Giam folk singing, an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Vi-Giam folk music is a repartee sung while working. It reflects the work, cultural life and feelings of the residents in the central coastal provinces.
The preservation is currently facing a number of problems since fewer residents sing this genre of music and many of the documentaries relating to the singing were lost.
The province, therefore, is working on campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of the cultural value of Vi-Giam and encourage the localities to set up teams of local singers to increase its popularity.
The province plans to introduce the singing in schools and its external activities along with organising regular singing programmes in tourism areas.
It also looks to hold an annual event for the type of singing to nurture its development.
A website named “Nghe Tinh’s Vi-Giam folk singing” will be built in association with the intangible cultural heritage database under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Vi-Giam folk music is popular in nearly 260 villages in the central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. The two provinces have 75 singing clubs with over 1,500 vocalists, many of whom are actively preserving the folk music.
It was officially recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in November 2014.