The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has assigned the authority of the northwestern province of Yen Bai to submit a dossier of the Xoe dance of the Thai ethnic people to UNESCO to seek the title of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The provincial People’s Committee is responsible for working with relevant agencies and localities to prepare for the submission. Yen Bai’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will coordinate with agencies under the Ministry and with localities boasting the art genre to map out a working plan for building the dossier, which will have to be completed before March 2018. The Xoe dance is one of the most popular dances of the Thai group. It holds an important role in the spiritual life and becomes an indispensable cultural activity of Thai ethnic people in northern localities, including Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien. The dance originated from local people’s need for entertainment after strenuous production activities. Last year, the Xoe dance of Lai Chau, Yen Bai and Son La was recognized as a national intangible heritage. Yen Bai is home to six Xoe folk dances, which are imbued with the cultural identity of the local Thai ethnic people. (Vietnam News Jul 20)
