The education sector of central Ha Tinh province plans to includeVi-Giam folk singing in primary school curriculum from the 2015-2016academic year, as part of its efforts to preserve the humanity’sintangible cultural heritage.

Tran Trung Dung, Director of theprovincial Department of Education and Training said the sector hasestablished a steering committee for implementing the plan.

Accordingly,each of the 267 primary school in the locality will set up a Vi-Giamsinging club managed by musical teachers. In near future, thetraditional art genre will be taught at extracurricular activities.

Thistype of folk singing was officially recognised by UNESCO as part of theintangible cultural heritage of humanity at the 9th session of itsInter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the IntangibleCultural Heritage in Paris in November 27, 2014.

It is popular in nearly 260 villages in the central provinces of NgheAn and Ha Tinh. The two provinces have 51 singing clubs with over 800vocalists, many of whom are actively preserving the folk music.

There are an estimated 15 tunes of Vi andeight airs of Giam, reflecting the work, cultural life and feelings ofresidents in the central coastal provinces.

Vi-Giam became the ninth Vietnamese cultural practice winning UNESCO’sintangible heritage status. The other eight recognised are Hue's royalcourt music, Gong space culture in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands), thenorthern province of Bac Ninh's love duet singing, the Giong festival,Ca Tru ceremonial singing, Xoan singing, Don Ca Tai Tu music and theworship of Hung Kings.-VNA