An October 6 ceremony in the northern province of Bac Giang has ushered in the fifth Culture, Sport, and Tourism Festival and officially accepted important titles from UNESCO and the Prime Minister.

The ceremony was attended by former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, as well as other officials, provincial and municipal leaders, and international friends.

UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller Mari was also among the guests.

Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan congratulated the Party Committee, administration, and people of Bac Giang on UNESCO’s official world heritage recognition of Buddhist woodblocks at the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda. He also highlighted a prime ministerial decision including the locations of the Yen The Uprising in the list of National Relic Sites.

Both forms of recognition affirmed the significance of the history, culture, and heritage of Bac Giang, rewarding local preservation efforts that have spanned generations.

Deputy PM Nhan praised the work Bac Giang has invested in protecting national cultural values and urged the province to effectively exploit the potential of official recognition  as a means of encouraging sustainable development.

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong bestowed the National Relic Certificate for the cluster of relics associated with the Yen The Uprising. Deputy PM Nhan also presented a certificate recognising 16 communes in Hiep Hoa district, Bac Giang province, as safe zone No 2.

UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller Mari presented UNESCO’s World Documentary Heritage certificate, authoritatively classifying the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda’s woodblocks as part of the world heritage in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is known as the "grand temple". It was a major Buddhist centre of the Tran Dynasty and played an important role in the lives of the three founders of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism (Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang).