Hanoi, Vietnam, Dec. 10 -- Vietnamese representatives celebrate UNESCO's recognition of Dong Ho folk painting craft in need of urgent safeguarding at the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, India, December 9, 2025 - Photo: VOV

This is Viet Nam's 17th intangible cultural heritage element so far recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Dong Ho folk paintings are closely tied to major traditional festivals, including the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as ancestral and deity worship. However, only a handful of families in Bac Ninh province still practice the craft, passing skills down informal...