The conference results are also an important basis for the People's Committee of Da Nang City to propose to the Government to develop a Master Plan for the heritage in the next phase to preserve and promote the most sustainable values of the ancient urban area of Hoi An.
A perfectly preserved traditional Asian port
We realize that preserving the ancient town of Hoi An is an extremely difficult task due to its characteristics as a living heritage town, thus requiring perseverance, carefulness and science to raise and solve related issues.
More than 400 years ago, Hoi An took advantage of its advantages to become a famous international trading port city. Now, Hoi An also needs to take advantage of the advantages brought by being under the jurisdiction of Da Nang city to break through and become a world-class model of heritage preservation in contemporary life.
(Deputy Minister HOANG DAO CUONG)
On January 12, 2012, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 78/QD-TTg approving the Plan for conservation, restoration and promotion of the value of Hoi An Ancient Town associated with the development of Hoi An city and tourism in the period 2012-2025 (referred to as the Plan). The total investment is 1,324,265 billion VND, from the following capital sources: National target program; targeted support program of the Government; Government bonds, ODA, National Action Program on tourism, capital from the province; from the source of exploiting relics and tourism; funding sources; calling for investment; people's own capital.
After nearly 13 years of implementation, the objectives and tasks of the Plan have basically been concretized into specific programs and project plans, closely following the approved conservation and development orientation. In particular, conservation activities not only take place within the heritage area, but also extend to the buffer zone and the outskirts, ensuring the overall, cohesive and unified space of the ancient urban area, in accordance with the criteria recognized by UNESCO: "Hoi An is a typical example of a perfectly preserved traditional Asian port".
Up to now, the world heritage of Hoi An ancient town has been well preserved and promoted, the landscape and ecology have been preserved to the maximum, at the same time tourism has developed strongly, becoming an important economic sector of the locality. Urban planning and management have ensured the harmony between conservation and development, in accordance with UNESCO's criteria on "integrity and authenticity" of heritage.
The relic of the Japanese Covered Bridge after restoration
Orientation of urban conservation in the new context
2025 is the end of the Planning period, an important milestone to plan a new vision, overall and long-term orientation for the next phase. The conference spent most of the time discussing strategic and creative orientations and solutions to preserve and promote the value of Hoi An ancient town sustainably in the coming time.
The issue of preserving and promoting heritage values in the new context, the initial difficulties arising from reality; concerns about the risk of abandoning heritage, dividing heritage space according to administrative areas are the contents that are noted. The recommendations also mention the planning space for preserving and promoting Hoi An heritage located in the new development space of Da Nang city, with inter-regional and inter-area connectivity to complement the space for preserving and promoting heritage.
The space for heritage conservation and promotion also needs to delineate functional spaces to regulate management, focusing on planning cultural creative spaces; aiming at a smart heritage urban management model; forming a creative axis between Hoi An heritage urban area in Da Nang's creative cultural ecosystem; converting from static conservation to dynamic conservation; developing cultural industry; applying digital technology and artificial intelligence; developing high-quality tourism in a green and sustainable direction; adapting to increasingly complex weather developments... are practical suggestions for research on the orientation of heritage conservation and promotion in the coming period.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, suggested the development orientation of Hoi An creative urban cluster in the Da Nang creative cultural ecosystem in the period of 2025-2035. The new context for Hoi An requires a shift from the mindset of "static conservation" to "dynamic conservation" through contemporary creative practices, connecting the market and technology, but without sacrificing identity.
“Is it possible to develop Hoi An ancient heritage urban area in the new context to orient Hoi An as a central urban entity in connecting “heritage - handicraft - folk art” in the creative ecosystem under Da Nang and the Central Coast region? If this solution is successfully implemented, Hoi An can find the answer to the problem of maintaining its membership in the UCCN network in the context of merging with Da Nang City,” Ms. Phuong shared.
Overall, the development orientation of Hoi An creative heritage urban cluster in the period 2025-2035 positions Hoi An not only as a preserved heritage cluster, but also as a creative heritage urban area operating in the cultural ecosystem of Da Nang City. This will be a "dual axis" model of heritage and communication to achieve a balance between conservation, creativity and sustainable development, thereby consolidating Vietnam's position in the global network of creative urban areas.
The representative of the UNESCO Office in Vietnam shared about UNESCO's approach to world heritage, assessed some opportunities and challenges for the management and conservation of Hoi An heritage in the current context of new administrative restructuring. At the same time, he made recommendations on applying UNESCO's policies to the ancient town of Hoi An in the new context to build a flexible and autonomous direct management model, expand the scope of conservation beyond the core area and ensure equitable benefits for the community.
To ensure effective conservation and sustainable development, protecting the outstanding global values of Hoi An in the new context, with the application of UNESCO's policies and approaches on world heritage, the following solutions can be considered: Strengthening the autonomy and adaptive governance model of the unit directly managing the heritage; Promoting sustainable and equitable tourism models; Integrating climate adaptation actions and principles of historic urban landscapes in Urban Planning and Heritage Conservation Planning
“The preservation of Hoi An requires more than a comprehensive approach along with technical measures: It requires the development of a flexible and autonomous direct management model, while at the same time, the role of inter-sectoral coordination and direction at the city level, promoting the successful lessons of the heritage site and the city itself.
Hoi An ancient town, especially in mechanisms to attract local communities to participate and ensure benefits and attachment between local residents and the heritage site, maintaining its position as a globally recognized model of sustainable development based on cultural heritage,” said a representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi.
Hoi An ancient urban heritage is facing many risks and challenges.
VHO - The People's Committee of Quang Nam province has just sent a document to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration, appraisal and submission to the Prime Minister for approval of the Project to preserve and promote the value of the world cultural heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town until 2030, with a vision to 2035 (Project).
Communities play a key role in protection
In addition, many opinions also emphasized that the new development space of Da Nang with its position as the development center of the Central region will create a launching pad, opening up many prospects to promote the conservation and promotion of Hoi An heritage to make a breakthrough and reach new heights in the coming period.
In which, the principled issues are noted: Taking cultural heritage capital as the focus in the issue of conservation and development, maintaining the core values of heritage, not trading heritage for economic goals. Ensuring the integrity and unity in the overall space of Hoi An ancient town with the core area being the heritage area and the surrounding historical, cultural, landscape and ecological related spaces. Ensuring a comprehensive, tight and smooth organization of heritage management...
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said: The conference took place at a time that can be considered appropriate to review and evaluate the achievements after nearly 13 years of implementing the Planning for the period 2012-2025 and to suggest major issues for the preservation and promotion of Hoi An heritage values in the coming time. That is the international context that is accelerating the globalization process, the stormy development of the digital age and artificial intelligence.
In Vietnam, the policies and orientations of the Party and the State are paving the way for culture to develop into soft power for our country to enter a new era, an era of national growth. The 2024 Law on Cultural Heritage has just come into effect, regulating many new issues in the field of cultural heritage conservation. Most recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved the National Target Program on Cultural Development for the period 2025-2035, phase 1: 2025-2030 according to Decision No. 3399/QD-BVHTTDL. And especially, the organization of 2-level local government has come into operation nationwide.
The presentations and opinions at the Conference as well as the practical results affirmed that Hoi An Ancient Town is a precious cultural asset in the treasure trove of Vietnamese and human cultural heritage. Therefore, all levels, sectors and the whole society need to pay attention to investing in preserving and protecting the heritage in order to pass on the original inherent value of the heritage to future generations. In which, the particularly important role of the community - the subject of the Living Heritage City in the work of preserving and promoting the value of the heritage. Ensuring the role of the community in the conservation and promotion of heritage,...
“We realize that preserving the ancient town of Hoi An is an extremely difficult task due to its characteristics as a living heritage city, so it requires perseverance, carefulness and science to raise and solve related issues. More than 400 years ago, Hoi An took advantage of its advantages to become a famous international commercial port city. Now, Hoi An also needs to take advantage of the advantages brought about after being under the jurisdiction of Da Nang city to break through and become a prominent model of the world in heritage conservation in contemporary life,” Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong emphasized.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/hoi-an-huong-den-mo-hinh-noi-bat-cua-the-gioi-ve-bao-ton-di-san-176255.html
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