On 16 July, Laos established a new cultural association tasked with preserving national heritage while positioning culture as a tool for soft power, tourism, and economic growth.
The country’s Central Committee approved the formation of the Lao Cultural Values Promotion Association (LCVPA). Association president Savanhkhone Razmountry said the body would work to develop Lao culture into a “cultural economy” and “creative economy,” supporting artists, cultural entrepreneurs, and businesses alongside heritage preservation.
Savankhone cited recent annual visitor numbers of four to five million for cultural tourism.
The association said it would seek cooperation with UNESCO and other international partners on heritage conservation projects, as well as financial and technical support for cultural development.
Khammany Inthilath, chairman of the association’s advisory board, said it would function as a platform linking artists, performers, writers, academics, and cultural entrepreneurs, with the stated goal of expanding opportunities for practitioners while supporting national development goals.
The launch comes amid a wider government push to raise Lao culture’s international profile.
Earlier this year, Laos nominated its national dish, Larb, for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status, and officials are preparing a similar nomination for the traditional Su Khuan (Baci) ceremony.
At the ceremony, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission Visouk Phomphithak urged the association to translate its plans into concrete projects, calling on artists to create work that reflects Lao identity for international audiences while safeguarding traditions amid growing cultural exchange.
The government has framed the association as a step toward expanding the country’s creative industries and cultural tourism sector, though how it will be funded and staffed beyond its advisory structure remains unclear.
