Meritorious artisan Pham Cong Bang in Te Tieu Village, My Duc District was proud to be named one of the 101 outstanding craftsmen to receive preferential support from the Hanoi government for his tireless efforts to preserve water puppetry.

"The support from city leaders at all levels makes us feel that we are not alone in our efforts to preserve traditional heritage. It also reminds us of our responsibility to preserve and promote these cultural values," he said.

Artisan Pham Cong Bang is one of the few remaining water puppet promoters in Te Tieu village. Photo courtesy of the artist

People's Artisan Luong Tat To, who has spent decades protecting the heritage of traditional dancing and singing in Phu Nhieu Village, Phu Xuyen District, agreed.

Tat To said the city's fund has become a timely and practical source of encouragement, as it comes when most traditional performing arts practitioners are old and lead difficult lives with unstable incomes.

To preserve intangible cultural heritage, the Hanoi government is currently taking measures to support outstanding artisans and art clubs in traditional performing arts.

According to the regulations, support funds have been disbursed to prominent clubs in the field of intangible cultural heritage in various localities in Hanoi.

In Dan Phuong, Phuc Tho and Phu Xuyen districts, support has been provided to clubs and artisans so that they can open numerous classes to teach heritage to the next generation.

The artisans are also invited to perform at traditional festivals and cultural events in the local community and on the walking streets of the Old Quarter in downtown Hanoi.

Tran Thi Van Anh, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Culture and Sports, expressed her hope that the support will encourage the artisans to make greater contributions to their communities and localities.

"Their contribution to promoting the value of Hanoi's intangible cultural heritage cannot be overestimated," said Van Anh.

An artisan of to he (toy figurines) making from Xuan La Village, Phuong Duc Commune, Phu Xuyen District, Hanoi. Photo courtesy of Phu Xuyen People's Committee

Being recognized for their achievements, artisans have the motivation and confidence to continue their careers.

With their merits recognized and financial support, artisans are craftsmen free to focus on preserving, maintaining, and passing on the heritage.

Nguyen Van Ly, a veteran performer of tuong (classical opera) in Duong Coc Village, Quoc Oai District, emphasized that artisans have a great responsibility to uphold the legacy of previous generations. Despite facing many challenges, artists remain determined to fulfill their mission, Ly said.

Ly expressed his expectation that artisans will continue to be pioneers in preserving and spreading the sense of responsibility for the cultural heritage of veteran performers to future generations.

According to Pham Thi Lan Anh, head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management under the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, the current practitioners of traditional performing arts in Hanoi are quite old and there are few successors.

This makes it all the more important to celebrate the role of artisans in heritage preservation. The city's cultural authorities have recognized them as living treasures and key contributors to the preservation of cultural heritage.

Tran Quoc Chiem, Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Literature and Arts, said that thanks to the efforts of skilled artisans, many heritage sites have been saved from the threat of oblivion.

"If artisans are acknowledged, honored, and rewarded for their work, they will be more motivated to preserve and pass on cultural heritage."

Hanoi has registered 1,793 intangible cultural heritage sites of various kinds, from traditional crafts to performing arts, topping the country in the number of cultural heritage items. The city also leads in the number of artisans awarded the titles of People's Artisan and Meritorious Artisan.

Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi Van Anh said the city has issued a plan to preserve and promote the value of Hanoi's intangible cultural heritage by 2025 with four groups of tasks, including strengthening government management of intangible cultural heritage; raising awareness of the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Value of Intangible Cultural Heritage; promoting the involvement of private resources to protect and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage; and finding solutions to support and encourage artisans.