“Quang Ninh is one of the typical examples of preserving and promoting heritage values, which needs to be widely shared.”

Mr. Lazzare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

-Hello Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by the reporter of Quang Ninh Provincial Media Center. I understand that in 2023 you came to Ha Long and this is the second time you have returned to Ha Long Bay, how do you feel?

+I am very happy to return to this beautiful land. Two years ago, I came here with a UNESCO delegation and worked with the Quang Ninh provincial government and the agencies managing Ha Long Bay. At that time, we highly appreciated Quang Ninh province's efforts to address environmental challenges, management and conservation of Ha Long Bay Heritage. It can be seen that since its recognition as a Heritage, Quang Ninh province has made efforts to preserve and promote the unique values ​​of Ha Long Bay. This is extremely valuable, because Ha Long Bay is not only a heritage of Vietnam, but also a heritage of the whole world.

This time coming back, I am very happy that our previous recommendations have been resolved by the local authorities. Especially in the context of many challenges and objective difficulties, Quang Ninh has still overcome and implemented well the recommendations we have made.

-So after visiting and surveying Ha Long Bay, what is your specific assessment of Quang Ninh's efforts in preserving and promoting the heritage value of Ha Long Bay?

+As I have shared, we appreciate Quang Ninh's efforts in implementing environmental protection solutions, ensuring a balance between economic development and conservation, promoting the value of Ha Long Bay. Visiting and surveying the main islands is the best way to honestly and fairly evaluate the local efforts. Issues of monitoring, environmental protection, and vessel management are being implemented very well. I know that the standards of vessels operating in Ha Long Bay are higher than those of Vietnam, which is truly a strong effort and determination of the government, businesses and the community.

However, the unfavorable factors of climate change, economic development, and human influence are always present, requiring localities that own Heritage to always take action and maintain all measures to fully preserve all values ​​of the Heritage, which is a valuable asset for future generations.

Provincial Media Center reporter interviewed Mr. Lazzare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Center.

- In order for Quang Ninh to better fulfill its responsibility in preserving and promoting the value of the World Natural Heritage Ha Long Bay, how will the World Heritage Center accompany and support Quang Ninh province, sir?

+As Director of the World Heritage Center, I pledge to do my best to work with Quang Ninh and Vietnam to manage, preserve and promote the values ​​of the Heritages. I want to encourage people in areas with Heritages to continue to support the preservation and protection of cultural and natural heritages, which are evidence of the brand identity of that land. I believe that honoring those values ​​is very important, because preserving heritage contributes to the well-being of the people, contributing to the development of Quang Ninh and Vietnam itself.

The World Heritage Center will always accompany and support Quang Ninh in the work of preserving and promoting world heritages and commits to continue consulting and supporting the work of managing, preserving and promoting the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay.

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hanh shared with Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Center about solutions to preserve Ha Long Bay Heritage.

- On May 21, 2025, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in coordination with the UNESCO Office in Vietnam; the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanoi People's Committee organized the International Scientific Conference "Protecting and promoting the values ​​of World Heritage: Community-based approach for sustainable development". So how do you see Quang Ninh implementing this issue?

+At the workshop, I heard Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hanh speak about Quang Ninh's efforts in promoting the role of the community in protecting the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay. In particular, the province has developed and implemented the code of conduct "Civilized tourism", code of conduct for Quang Ninh people, code of conduct "Ha Long Smile". In those codes of conduct, the local community plays an active role in protecting heritage values ​​and participating in organizing service and tourism activities on Ha Long Bay in a harmonious and appropriate manner; prioritizing heritage protection in parallel with the work of preserving, exploiting and promoting the values ​​of the World Heritage. In particular, organizing cultural experiences of fishing villages of fishermen on Ha Long Bay combined with preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​through festivals, daily customs and folk arts.

It can be seen that this is a very close and responsible connection of the community in joining hands to protect the Heritage. The community is the central and decisive factor in the conservation work. In particular, in my opinion, you need to be proactive, emphasize and promote more widely to the younger generation, because this is the "important factor" that determines the existence of the Heritage.

-Can you share more specifically about the role of the young generation in preserving and promoting the value of Heritage?

+ The young generation is the successor, the one who continues and enjoys the values ​​of the Heritage. They will replace us to carry out these tasks. They will make policies, they will take action, either to protect or destroy it. Therefore, from now on, not only in Quang Ninh but everywhere, it is necessary to propagate, educate and orient the young generation on the conservation and promotion of the values ​​of the World Heritage. The young generation needs to be deeply aware of their responsibility towards the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay through propagating and promoting the Heritage; participating in environmental protection activities; coming up with useful initiatives...

They will not only know, understand and be proud of the unique values ​​of their homeland's Heritage but also the Heritage of humanity. Once they have awareness, they will act, and that action is for their own future and that of future generations.

-Sir, currently Quang Ninh province and localities are making efforts to complete the nomination dossier "The Complex of Monuments and Landscapes of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac to become a World Heritage Site. How does the World Heritage Center accompany localities to implement this content?

+ Through meetings with General Secretary To Lam and the Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, the delegation of the World Heritage Center was provided with very important information about the value of Yen Tu to the people of Quang Ninh and the Vietnamese people in general. The dossier "The Complex of Monuments and Landscapes of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac" has also been elaborately built with the participation of the world's leading experts in this field. Therefore, the recognition of this complex as a World Heritage Site at the upcoming UNESCO meeting is very promising.
I hope the province continues to promote solutions to balance development and conservation of heritages that have been implemented very effectively in recent times.

-Thank you very much!

Hoang Quynh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/quang-ninh-la-mot-trong-nhung-dien-hinh-bao-ton-va-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-can-duoc-chia-se-rong-rai-3359535.html