Dubai – Qahwa World

The World Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak province, Vietnam, hosted the activities of the 2025 International Scientific Conference and Forum from December 5 to 6.

The conference was held under the theme: “Global Coffee Industry Value Chain – Global, Local, and Sustainable Development,” jointly organized by the Dak Lak Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, UNESCO, and Yunnan University (China), and sponsored by the Trung Nguyen Group. The event attracted dozens of local and international experts, scientists, and managers.

In his opening speech, Associate Professor Dr. Lam Nhan, President of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, emphasized that coffee represents a strategic industrial crop and a source of pride for the people of Dak Lak and the Central Highlands. He noted its sensitivity to climate change and the necessity of transitioning from expanding cultivated areas to raising quality, increasing value, developing processing technologies, and managing the value chain.

The workshop is not limited to the scientific dimension; it represents a step toward formulating a new vision for developing Vietnamese coffee within the global value chain, through discussions on coffee heritage—from agricultural knowledge and processing to the culture of enjoyment—in addition to topics of technology, branding, environmental responsibility, and sustainable development.

The workshop also contributes to the preparation of the file on the “Knowledge of Coffee Cultivation, Processing, and Enjoyment in the Central Highlands,” to be submitted to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of Good Safeguarding Practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Dak Lak… The Center of the Vietnamese Coffee Industry

Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Dak Lak Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that Buon Ma Thuot is the core of the coffee industry in Vietnam, noting that Dak Lak Robusta coffee is not just an agricultural crop, but a deeply rooted cultural symbol among the ethnic communities in the Central Highlands, preserved across generations.

The province aims to enhance the value of coffee heritage by integrating sustainable agriculture, the green economy, agri-tourism and cultural tourism, and creative industries, in line with UNESCO’s philosophy of community preservation and heritage-based development.

Practical Steps Towards UNESCO Listing

Tran Hong Tien mentioned that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism submitted a request to the Prime Minister for permission to prepare a scientific file on the intangible cultural heritage related to the “Knowledge of Dak Lak Coffee Cultivation and Processing.” The workshop is the first step in preparing this file, supported by 67 research presentations covering economics, society, culture, anthropology, heritage, coffee technologies, value chains, and sustainable development.

Indigenous Knowledge… Memory, Identity, and Culture

Delegates discussed axes including: cultural exchange through coffee, localization practices during integration periods, the role of coffee heritage in socio-economic and tourism development, and solutions for preserving and enhancing local knowledge in cultivation, processing, and drinking culture.

Experts believe that the knowledge of coffee cultivation and processing in Dak Lak goes beyond inherited traditional skills; it represents a shared system of values and identity that strengthens social bonds, supports sustainability, and provides livelihoods.

Towards a Community-Based Heritage Model

Associate Professor Dr. Le Thi Ngoc Diep from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities assessed that the coffee heritage in Buon Ma Thuot is developing in the unique context of Dak Lak’s central position in the Vietnamese coffee industry. She considered integrating coffee with the concepts of “heritage” and “local identity” an effective strategy to enhance value in the global market. She emphasized the necessity of a community-based heritage model that ensures local residents’ participation in managing and investing in heritage while maintaining a balance between tourism and authenticity.

Notable Success and Broad Cultural Participation

The workshop concluded with participants commending the outcomes. Tran Hong Tien affirmed that the event constituted a first step in preparing the file for UNESCO heritage listing and contributed to presenting new visions for globally promoting the status of Dak Lak coffee as a symbol of living heritage and a sustainable green economy.

The event featured Zén coffee tasting sessions, visits to coffee farms, and an introduction to the three coffee civilizations: Ottoman, Roman, and Zén, alongside a tour of the World Coffee Museum.

Dak Lak on the Global Heritage and Creativity Map

This forum represents a bridge between heritage and contemporary creativity, enhancing the position of Dak Lak – “Vietnam’s Coffee Capital” – on the map of world cultural heritage and creative industries.

Value_Chain

Vietnam: The Journey of Coffee Cultivation and Processing Knowledge Towards Global Recognition