Cu Chi Tunnels included in UNESCO's list of proposed world heritage sites

Tourists experience Cu Chi tunnels. Photo: MH

The document stated that after receiving Official Dispatch No. 31/UBND-VX dated January 3, 2025 of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on completing the Summary Report of Cu Chi Tunnels to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of World Heritage Sites, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent a document requesting relevant agencies to comment on the Summary Report. Basically, the opinions of relevant agencies were in agreement with the content of the Summary Report of Cu Chi Tunnels.

Previously, the National Cultural Heritage Council assessed the contents of the summary report's acceptance and explanation as reasonable and suitable for practice.

Regarding the selection criteria, the proposed criteria agreed by the National Cultural Heritage Council are appropriate, exploiting and promoting the core values of the Cu Chi tunnels relic, which previously, domestic and foreign documents were limited and not properly evaluated. The dossier has clarified and more fully demonstrated the depth and rich values of the Cu Chi tunnels.

The National Cultural Heritage Council recommends that the Report should emphasize a number of contents, including: This is a systematic and large-scale underground defense structure. This structure was built by human power with local tools. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly present the knowledge system, understanding of the natural world, geographical location, geological structure, and stratigraphy of the underground area...

In particular, the dossier must describe the function of each sub-layer and the entire system, the method of long-term survival underground, the ability to adapt to difficult living conditions and the fierce nature of war. Thereby, proving the indomitable will and creativity of the Vietnamese people in general and Cu Chi people in particular, to create the persuasiveness of a cultural and scientific heritage dossier.

To have a basis to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requests the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to continue reviewing and completing the Summary Report on Cu Chi Tunnels according to the comments of the National Cultural Heritage Council.

Accordingly, it is necessary to have effective measures to protect the heritages that are currently being managed and exploited to serve the public, and at the same time urgently carry out research programs, collect documents... to fully prepare data, complete scientific content and material evidence, effectively serving the work of building the nomination dossier and the Management Plan of the Cu Chi Tunnels Historical Site to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a World Heritage Site.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dua-dia-dao-cu-chi-vao-danh-muc-du-kien-lap-ho-so-di-san-the-gioi-cua-unesco-700806.html