The handover took place in the presence of Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO Le Thi Hong Van, and officials of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and UNESCO, said the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The golden imperial seal of “Hoang de chi bao” (Treasure of the Emperor) was handed over to Vietnam at a ceremony held at the Vietnamese Embassy in France, Nov. 16, 2023.

This came as a result of more than one year of negotiation and implementation of legal procedures on halting the open auction of the seal, cast in 1823 under the reign of King Minh Mang, in Paris in November 2022, and handing over the object to Vietnam at the country’s request.

The Hoang Gia Nam Hong Co. Ltd, based in the northern province of Bac Ninh, was chosen to represent Vietnam to handle related financial procedures in line with French law. It will also preserve and display the seal and coordinate with the Vietnam National Museum of History to protect and bring into play the antique’s value.

On Nov. 12, 2022, the Department of Culture Heritage and Hoang Gia Nam Hong company signed an agreement on negotiating the purchase of the seal from France and transferring it to the state.

Under the deal, the company pledged that the seal will be transferred to the government via the culture ministry after a suitable period of time when the firm no longer has demand for possessing, displaying, and bringing into play the seal’s value at the Hoang Gia Nam Hong Museum in Bac Ninh.

Xuong Giang Festival listed as national intangible cultural heritage

BAC GIANG- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has decided to add 36 heritages into the list of national intangible cultural heritages including Xuong Giang festival in Bac Giang city, the northern province of Bac Giang. Xuong Giang festival is held annually in early spring (on the 6th and 7th lunar January) to celebrate the Chi Lang- Xuong Giang Victory in 1427.

Complex of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscapes on journey to become world heritage

BAC GIANG - The Complex of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscapes is a chain of cultural landscapes in the three provinces of Quang Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Duong.

Over 12,000 runners to compete at Hanoi Marathon - Heritage Race 2023

More than 12,000 runners, including professional athletes of the World Athletics, will compete at the Hanoi Marathon - Heritage Race 2023, which will open in the Hoan Kiem Lake area of Hanoi on October 15.

9 UNESCO world natural and cultural heritage sites in Vietnam

Vietnam has 9 heritage sites recognised by UNESCO, including 5 cultural, 3 natural, and 1 complex heritage items.

Traditional fire dance festival of Pa Then ethnic group recognised as national heritage

The People’s Committee of Lam Binh District, Tuyen Quang Province, held a ceremony on September 26 to receive a certificate recognising the traditional fire dance festival of the local Pa Then ethnic group as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Source: VnExpress