Rituals in Buon Ma Thuot
Trung Nguyen Legend uses its Zen Coffee initiative to promote Vietnamese traditions through coffee tasting rituals. This project follows the ‘Coffee Way’ philosophy that founder Dang Le Nguyen Vu developed. The group hosts these meditation sessions at the World Coffee Museum and the Trung Nguyen Coffee Village in Buon Ma Thuot. These sessions bring Vietnamese coffee culture into tourist and diplomatic contexts by focusing on socialising and meditation. I find the heavy focus on the spiritual dimension of coffee over simple consumption quite distinct. The project interprets coffee tasting as a ritual of mindfulness, rooted in the country’s traditions and knowledge. The initiative treats coffee as an opportunity for socialising and meditation, as well as the celebration of cultural heritage. This journey connects the product with an understanding of local areas, spiritual dimensions, community involvement and cultural identity. Jonathan Baker, the UNESCO representative in Vietnam, said the experience helped him "see coffee in a completely different light". Renzo Moro, who heads the agriculture section at the Italian Embassy in Vietnam, noted that the ritual "creates a space of tranquillity in which the energy of the coffee is felt from within and spreads, connecting people".
The Dak Lak programme and UNESCO goals
The Zen Coffee initiative forms part of a wider programme to promote the coffee culture of Dak Lak province. This programme includes training and research activities and opportunities for dialogue with UNESCO. Trung Nguyen Legend currently works on a dossier regarding the knowledge associated with the cultivation and processing of local coffee. The objective involves the preparation of a dossier for inclusion in the UNESCO Register of Good Practices for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The project remains incomplete because the group must first prepare this specific dossier to achieve that recognition. The programme aims to pass on knowledge and rituals and bring visitors closer to the producing communities. This initiative also supports tourism rooted in the cultural identity of Vietnam. I find that the project currently lacks the official UNESCO status it seeks because the dossier remains in the preparation stage.
