On the basis of the conclusions of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Thiện Nhân at the meeting with Tuyên Quang province in 2012 and the notice dated 30^th May 2012 of the Government Office on building the nomination file on “Then Rituals” to be submitted to UNESCO, the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology in coordination with Tuyên Quang People’s Committee and Tuyên Quang Department of Cultural, Sports and Tourism has organized the Conference on Preparing Nomina-tion file on Then of Tày, Nùng, Thái ethnic groups of Vietnam at Tuyên Quang Convention Center on 28^th February 2014.

Participants included Mrs. Vũ Thị Bích Việt - Member of Provincial Standing Committee, Vice Chairwoman of Tuyên Quang Provincial People’s Committee; Mr. Triệu Đức Lân - Member of Provincial Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Bắc Kạn Provincial People’s Committee, Directors and Vice Directors of Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tuyên Quang, Bắc Kạn, Hà Giang, Thái Nguyên, Bắc Giang, Lai Châu, Cao Bằng and Lạng Sơn.

The conference happened in the cosy atmosphere and participants openly and sincerely discussed and made suggestions to the draft and the plan for preparing the nomination file as soon as possible. The conference ended with signing an agreement between provinces, participating in the conference, with 4 points:

1. The name of the nomination file “Then of Tày, Nùng, Thái  ethnic groups of Vietnam”.

2. Building Nomination File Then of Tày, Nùng, Thái ethnic groups of Vietnam to be submitted to UNESCO  for its recognization into the Represen-tative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

3. Appointing Tuyên Quang province to be the focal point of building the Nomination File.

4. Suggesting the Ministry of Cul-ture, Sports, and Tourism should early approve the decision of building the nomination file on  Then of Tày, Nùng, Thái ethnic groups of Việt Nam.

 The preparation of Nomination File on Then of Tày, Nùng, Thái ethnic groupsof Vietnam will hopefully be carried out as scheduled to meet the expectations of ethnic minorities in Northern provinces of Vietnam.

                   NGUYỄN THỦY TIÊN