Collection of Community Cultural Heritage stories, which inspire tales for the promotion, celebration and creation of a shared future for Vietnam cultural heritage, have just been introduced in Hanoi.

The publication, by Barley Norton from Goldsmiths under University of London and Hoang Van Chung from the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, is part of the British Council’s Heritage of Future Past - a Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth project in Vietnam.

The collection of Community Cultural Heritage stories is available in printed and electronic versions in both Vietnamese and English.

Contributing to the inclusive and sustainable growth of the heritage sector in Vietnam, this two-year project dealt with different types of music and film heritage, in particular valuable aspects that are under-represented or at high risk of disappearing.

Through the stories of each individual, each community and through numerous activities and programs, the project’s work is reflected in the collection of Community Cultural Heritage stories that capture the essence of the people at the heart of the project and their worlds.

As seen through the lens of Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage, this collection is uniquely positioned to act as a conduit for the exchange of ideas across generations to provide a pathway to build a collective, sustainable livelihoods.

By employing innovative approaches that enable a variety of communities to contribute and benefit from the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, Heritage of Future Past seeks to create inclusive and sustainable growth opportunities in the heritage sector.

The ten stories in this publication when knitted together to reveal and raise awareness of the transformational power of cultural heritage and its ability to develop a cross-cultural understanding in today’s society. 

There is also a film critic Le Hong Lam in Warrior, who are you - Cinema in South Vietnam before 1975 with his story about a long trip around the United States and his two-year attempt to revive valuable parts of Vietnam's cinema heritage from 1954-1975.

“We hope that this book and the corresponding short films online will raise awareness of the value of cultural heritage and its transformative potential,” said the co-authors.

The collection of Community Cultural Heritage stories is available in printed and electronic versions in both Vietnamese and English.