Thorough preparation before the "big moment"
The nomination dossier for the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site has been accepted by UNESCO. The province is entering the peak phase, preparing to welcome the UNESCO expert team for a field assessment.
Báo An Giang•30/03/2026
Visitors explore and learn about the Go Cay Thi historical site. Photo: Phuong Lan
The journey to bring the Oc Eo culture to the world stage marked a historic milestone on February 27, 2026, when the Director of the World Heritage Centre officially confirmed that Vietnam's official dossier met the required standards and was submitted to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) for evaluation. This was the result of a long process of effort, from meeting and working with international experts such as Professor Ichita Shimoda to completing the dossier and the heritage management plan.
With the motto "working day and night is not enough," the entire political system and construction units are pouring all their efforts into perfecting the appearance of the heritage site, ready to welcome a delegation of international experts for on-site surveys. On March 14th, Mr. Ho Van Mung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, inspected the progress of projects at Oc Eo. Standing before the archaeological pits where protective shelters are being constructed, Mr. Ho Van Mung instructed the construction units to mobilize maximum resources and illuminate the construction site to ensure continuous work day and night.
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Comrade Ho Van Mung emphasized: “The Oc Eo relic site is a priceless treasure, so all machinery and excavation activities must be closely coordinated with archaeological experts to avoid damaging even a single ancient brick. The installation of bilingual Vietnamese-English propaganda billboards must be carried out urgently along the roads leading to the relic site, conveying the message of unity and determination of the local people to protect this heritage.”
On the afternoon of March 19th, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Van Phuoc chaired the second meeting of the Steering Committee for the Oc Eo Archaeological Site Nomination Dossier to review each task in detail. He requested that relevant departments and agencies prioritize the fastest possible processing of related tasks. UNESCO's acceptance of the valid dossier is only the first step; the real pressure lies in the field assessment phase, expected from June to August 2026. Therefore, the Provincial Project Management Board must urge the contractor to complete the conservation shelter system before March 25th, 2026, to ensure timely photographic and video documentation for submission to the World Heritage Center in March.
Currently, 12 key projects are being implemented simultaneously with a total budget of tens of billions of VND to create the most polished appearance. Specifically, the project to reinforce and repair landslides on the embankment at the Go Cay Thi and Nam Linh Son relics started on March 9th and is expected to be completed on April 20th, including the construction of fences, resting platforms, and walkway railings. The project to improve the landscape of the road leading to the relics also began on March 17th to beautify the road surface at Go Oc Eo and Giong Trom and build a steel bridge across Giong Xoai. Notably, the Nam Linh Son relic is being cleaned, the rafters are being repainted, and the corrugated iron roof is being replaced...
One highly aesthetic and professional project is the system of explanatory signs for the historical site, which commenced on March 25th. These signs are designed with durable stainless steel frames, roofs made of Cam Xe wood, and steel trusses painted in a specialized wood-brown color to blend seamlessly with the ancient atmosphere of the heritage site. The province is also urgently implementing restoration and renovation projects at Linh Son Bac, Go Sau Thuan, and Giong Cat with a total investment of over 9.3 billion VND immediately after the roofing work is completed.
Comrade Le Van Phuoc particularly emphasized the vitality of heritage within the community; he requested that propaganda work be concise and practical, helping people easily understand, remember, and feel proud of the "treasure" they live next to. According to the plan, from March 18th to June 16th, the province will organize 25 direct propaganda sessions for officials, teachers, students, and the people in Oc Eo and My Thuan communes. The Provincial People's Committee directed relevant agencies to urgently survey and remeasure the boundary markers at Linh Son Bac and Go Sau Thuan to definitively resolve people's complaints and ensure absolute consensus in the process of compiling the dossier.
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Regarding the reception and working with the UNESCO delegation, Mr. Le Van Phuoc stated that this is a very important task. Therefore, the reception and working with the UNESCO delegation must be closely coordinated and organized, from logistics, foreign relations, security, safety, and the content of information, presentations, and expert opinions. The Oc Eo Cultural Relic Management Board needs to closely coordinate with the Department of Tourism, the Provincial Police, the People's Committee of Oc Eo Commune, the People's Committee of My Thuan Commune, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulting experts, and members of the Executive Board to urgently develop a detailed plan to organize the reception and working with UNESCO experts, ensuring it is thorough, dignified, effective, safe, and demonstrates a high sense of responsibility and cooperation. Preparations must be completed at least 15 days before the UNESCO delegation arrives.
PHUONG LAN
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/chuan-bi-chu-dao-truoc-gio-g--a481001.html
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