A new milestone in the journey of heritage diplomacy.

"The inscription of the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago complex is vivid evidence, affirming another concrete contribution of Vietnam at the international level to the efforts to preserve and promote heritage values, which is highly appreciated by the international community," shared Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to UNESCO.

The Vietnamese delegation attended the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Saudi Arabia on September 16. (Photo: Provided by the delegation)

What were the Ambassador's feelings when the gavel sounded to approve the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago dossier?

I vividly remember the overwhelming joy felt by the entire Vietnamese delegation when the Chairman of the World Heritage Committee struck the gavel to officially recognize Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago as a new World Natural Heritage site at 5:39 PM local time (9:39 PM Vietnam time) on September 16th.

This is not only a source of pride for the community and people of Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province, but also a shared joy for the entire nation, as Vietnam's name is once again mentioned on the world heritage map after eight years. It is a source of excitement because of the international recognition and appreciation of the beauty of the heritage and Vietnam's efforts in protecting it. It is also an honor and a source of pride for our country's further contribution to the goal of preserving and promoting heritage values, as advocated by UNESCO, enriching the treasure trove of human culture.

We all understand that honor and pride always come with responsibility, requiring all levels, sectors, and localities to raise awareness and implement practical and effective measures to preserve and promote the value of heritage in accordance with the spirit of the 1972 Convention, linked to sustainable development.

Ambassador, how was Vietnam's advocacy work carried out to achieve this milestone – the first inter-provincial World Heritage site in our country? During that process, how did you perceive the international assessment of Vietnam's efforts in preserving and promoting its heritage?

This is the result of closely following and implementing the directives of the Prime Minister, the close and effective coordination of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the Vietnam National UNESCO Committee, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to UNESCO, and most importantly, the efforts and determination of the government and people of Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province.

The process of building the dossier lasted nearly 10 years, fraught with difficulties, from selecting criteria to highlight the global value of the heritage site, to fostering consensus between the two localities, and perfecting the cooperation and coordination mechanisms for the conservation and management of the heritage. Even before the Session, the dossier received unfavorable recommendations from the independent advisory body, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

However, stemming from the desire to best protect and promote the value of the heritage for future generations, the Vietnamese delegation, with the participation of leaders from Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province, our Ambassador to UNESCO, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, conducted nearly 30 direct working sessions with 21 heads of delegations from member states of the World Heritage Committee, the Director of the World Heritage Centre, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to share perspectives, clarify the outstanding universal value of the heritage, and explain the efforts of the authorities and people of the two localities.

In particular, through the discussions, the members highly appreciated the goodwill, strong determination, efforts, and concrete commitments of the Government leaders, local leaders, relevant ministries and agencies, and the community in the work of preserving and promoting the value of heritage, especially with Vietnam's first inter-provincial heritage dossier requiring consensus and effective management coordination.

Based on that, the meeting achieved the unanimous agreement of all 21/21 members of the Committee in favor of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago deserving of being inscribed as a new World Heritage site, with its spectacular natural beauty, outstanding global value, the final point in the karst evolution process, representing seven adjacent ecosystems, and the habitat of many rare animal species.

According to the Ambassador, what is the significance of the recognition of the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago complex as a World Natural Heritage site for Vietnam's "heritage diplomacy" process?

It can be said that the inscription of the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago complex as a World Natural Heritage site is a new milestone in Vietnam's recent journey of cultural diplomacy and heritage diplomacy.

A year ago, Vietnam was one of the first countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (Ninh Binh, September 2022), with the participation of UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

Audrey Azoulay affirmed that Vietnam is a "model example" of a harmonious balance between preserving and promoting heritage values, linked to sustainable tourism development, economic development, and the livelihoods of the people.

Earlier this year, during his visit to Vietnam, the Director of the World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, highly appreciated Vietnam's policy of always valuing culture, identifying culture as the spiritual foundation of society, and as a goal, resource, and driving force for sustainable development. Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo was very impressed with the successful models and experiences in managing the eight World Heritage sites in Vietnam.

In particular, at the International Conference on “Promoting the Value of UNESCO Titles for Sustainable Development in Vietnam” held last July, the Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for African Priorities and External Relations, Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, emphasized Vietnam's active, positive, and responsible role as a member of UNESCO, especially in the conservation and preservation of world heritage sites for future generations.

Therefore, the inscription of the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago complex is vivid evidence, affirming Vietnam's concrete contribution at the international level to the efforts to preserve and promote heritage values, which is highly appreciated by the international community. UNESCO leaders believe that, with skilled experts and practical experience in the field of heritage preservation and promotion, Vietnam has the full basis to successfully fulfill its role as a member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term.

Given the country's current strength and position, how does the Ambassador assess the image of Vietnam, its people, and its natural landscapes in the eyes of the international community? What motivation/inspiration does this provide for pioneering heritage diplomacy beyond the "front lines"?

It can be said that our country possesses many advantages bestowed by nature, a glorious historical tradition, a thousand-year-old civilization, the diversity and uniqueness of its cultural identity, the industrious and creative qualities of the Vietnamese people with their precious spiritual values, and a peaceful, harmonious, and humane foreign policy, coupled with dynamic development in innovation and international integration. This provides a favorable foundation for us to continue effectively implementing cultural diplomacy and heritage diplomacy.

In my opinion, we can continue to promote the pioneering role of cultural diplomacy and heritage diplomacy in the following four areas:

Firstly, we must play a pioneering role in advising and proposing policies, leveraging UNESCO's ideas and initiatives to support the implementation of national goals and contribute to the sustainable development of the country.

Secondly, we must be pioneers in participating in the development, advocacy, and protection of dossiers submitted to UNESCO for inscription, harmoniously combining heritage preservation and promotion, "transforming heritage into assets," and "transforming potential into resources" to serve practical development.

We continue to promote the heritage dossiers and titles that have been submitted and are awaiting UNESCO consideration and approval, such as the intangible heritage dossier for the Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain and the Dong Ho folk painting craft, the dossier for the renowned figure Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac; submitting the cultural heritage dossier for the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiet Bac complex of relics and scenic spots; promoting and supporting the dossier for the Oc Eo - Ba The relic site, Lang Son Geopark...; and garnering support so that the international community can work together to protect and promote these values.

Thirdly, Vietnam has been a pioneer in promoting the image of its land, people, and culture to the world. To date, Vietnam has nearly 60 UNESCO heritage sites and titles, ranking first among Southeast Asian countries in the number of UNESCO-recognized heritage sites. These international titles awarded to Vietnam by UNESCO are an effective way for the international community to better understand a dynamically developing Vietnam, a successful model of reform, openness, and integration, yet still rich in tradition and deeply rooted in its identity.

Fourth, we will enhance the country's standing and prestige by elevating our contributions to common interests, strengthening our international responsibilities, and playing a leading role in UNESCO mechanisms such as membership in the UNESCO Executive Board, Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention. We will continue to campaign for a seat on the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term to contribute to UNESCO's overall work.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dau-moc-moi-trong-hanh-trinh-ngoai-giao-di-san-245012.html