Trung tâm Nghiên cứu và Phát huy giá trị di sản văn hóa

Viet Nam

Contact: +84 903 867 188
Postal address: 19 Ngoc Ha Street Ba Dinh District Hanoi City
Geographic Coverage of NGO’s expertise: Viet Nam

URL: https://www.facebook.com/cchdisan

Year of creation: 2007

Safeguarding measures:

- Digital mapping

Main areas of work related to the Convention:

CCH has been actively involved in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) through a wide range of initiatives and collaborations, demonstrating its expertise and capacity to offer advisory services. In 2024, CCH advised the Viet Nam National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education on the revision of Viet Nam's Law on Cultural Heritage, providing input to align its provisions with the 2003 Convention, the Operational Directives, and the Overall Results Framework. Important changes in the revised law include the ICH definition, domains, principles of community involvement, and procedural rules. CCH’s analysis and recommendations helped build a solid understanding of concepts and principles under the Convention and suggested future integration of ICH considerations into national legislative frameworks. The Center has also led substantial efforts in identification, research, inventory-making, transmission, and digital mapping to support ICH safeguarding at both policymaking and community levels. The ICH inventory-making projects in Hà Nội City (2013–2015), Việt Trì City (2016–2017), and Thừa Thiên Huế Province (2021–2026) have provided empirical foundations for policymaking, enabling effective ICH safeguarding and sustainable management while ensuring the involvement of local communities. These initiatives highlight CCH’s methodological expertise in implementing safeguarding measures, fostering local capacity, and integrating data-driven tools into ICH management. CCH’s efforts in community-based safeguarding of ICH are demonstrated through its work on Xoan Singing in Phú Thọ Province. From 2015 to 2017, CCH conducted community-based inventory-making and research to evaluate the viability of this element. These efforts significantly contributed to Viet Nam’s periodic report to UNESCO and resulted in the successful transfer of Xoan Singing from the Urgent Safeguarding List to the Representative List. This unprecedented achievement underscores CCH’s ability to execute efficient community-based safeguarding projects and to provide technical advice aligned with the UNESCO 2003 Convention. CCH has also contributed to promoting cultural heritage linked to sustainable development, notably through its project to develop and market culinary heritage in Hà Nội’s Hoàn Kiếm District (2022–2025). This initiative demonstrates how safeguarding ICH can respond to tourism and support economic growth while strengthening local cultural identity. CCH actively engages local communities in safeguarding efforts, strengthening social cohesion and integrity through activities such as the Gióng Festival in Phù Đổng Temple (2013–2015), an element inscribed on the Representative List. In collaboration with local stakeholders, CCH facilitated dialogues and mediated disputes among concerned families and villages, enabling sustainable safeguarding practices and enhancing the cultural significance of this UNESCO-inscribed element. Additionally, CCH has collaborated with diverse stakeholders—including government agencies, museums, universities, NGOs, international networks, and category II centers such as ICHCAP—highlighting its advisory and collaborative capacity. By integrating community-led safeguarding initiatives, legislative expertise, and interdisciplinary methods, CCH connects national efforts with global networks, fostering cultural resilience and promoting sustainable development. Its extensive experience positions CCH as a trusted entity capable of providing targeted and comprehensive advisory services to the Committee on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

Objectives

The Center for Research and Promotion of Cultural Heritage (CCH) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, legally established in 2007 under the auspices of the Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Association. CCH provides advisory and capacity-building services, and conducts research and promotional activities in the field of cultural heritage. It aims to preserve and promote Viet Nam’s cultural heritage by innovating museum activities, safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage, enhancing professional capacity, raising community awareness, and building cooperative networks. In conformity with the UNESCO 2003 Convention, CCH was established to safeguard and promote Viet Nam’s cultural heritage through activities such as research, inventory-making, documentation, transmission, and support for community-led safeguarding initiatives. While its primary focus is on intangible cultural heritage, CCH broadens its scope to include advocating cultural heritage policy, strengthening heritage management, innovating museum practices, fostering partnerships, and enhancing community participation. Through its projects and activities, CCH integrates the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) into cultural heritage education, museum innovation, professional capacity-building, and community networking. By embedding safeguarding principles into these areas, the Center ensures that intangible cultural heritage remains viable, accessible, and relevant across generations, especially among young people. These efforts contribute to raising awareness, reinforcing community identity, and fostering intercultural dialogue—key tenets of the 2003 Convention. In collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government authorities, museums, universities, NGOs, expert networks, and local communities, CCH strives to bridge the gap between local, national, and international efforts in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Through these partnerships, CCH connects Viet Nam’s rich cultural tapestry to broader global networks, contributing to sustainable development and respecting cultural diversity, fully in alignment with the Convention’s goals.

Cooperation

One of CCH's key strengths is its ability to work closely with communities, groups, and individuals in safeguarding their intangible cultural heritage (ICH). CCH places community engagement at the heart of its safeguarding approach, ensuring that tradition-bearers and practitioners are actively involved in every stage—from identification and documentation to transmission and promotion. This collaborative ethos empowers communities as custodians of their heritage, fostering resilience and continuity in cultural practices while ensuring sustainable and meaningful safeguarding outcomes. CCH works closely with practitioners and tradition-bearers during inventory-making, research, and documentation processes, ensuring their voices are central in identifying and assessing heritage elements. For example, in safeguarding Xoan Singing in Phu Tho province, CCH engaged local communities in inventory-making and research, which contributed significantly to the successful transfer of Hát Xoan to UNESCO’s Representative List. Additionally, CCH facilitates training and workshops to enhance the capacities of practitioners and community members, enabling them to actively participate in safeguarding measures such as transmission and promotion of their heritage. During projects like the Gióng Festival in Phù Đổng Temple, CCH mediated community disputes and strengthened social cohesion, ensuring sustainable safeguarding practices. Since 2020, CCH has collaborated with communities practicing tugging rituals and games, a multinational element on the Representative List, facilitating cultural exchanges and establishing a national network. As a result of research and inventory-making, the number of participating communities grew from six (Hanoi, Lao Cai, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc) to ten, with four additional communities from Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Nam Dinh, and Thai Binh that are not yet inscribed. Partnering with ICHCAP and authorities from Korea, Cambodia, and the Philippines, CCH has supported Vietnamese communities in cultural exchanges during Korean festivals in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Through partnerships with local stakeholders, CCH supports community-led initiatives, such as the revitalization of Red Dao ritual painting traditions, and promotes the integration of ICH into local development strategies, including cultural tourism and economic growth. These efforts empower communities as active stewards of their heritage, fostering resilience and continuity in cultural practices.