Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong received and worked with the candidate for UNESCO Director General

On the afternoon of June 5, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong had a meeting with Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, candidate for UNESCO Director General.

Also attending were Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation; Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage.

Sending his greetings to Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko to return to visit and work at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in his capacity as a candidate for UNESCO Director-General, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong highly appreciated the contributions of Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko in his previous position as Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for African Priorities and External Relations, which contributed to promoting cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO in general, and between Vietnam and African countries in particular in the cultural field.

Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong and Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko

In recent times, Vietnam has demonstrated its role and responsibility as a member state, contributing to the implementation of UNESCO's mission globally. Overall, Vietnam has actively participated in and effectively implemented 04 Conventions on culture, 01 Convention on sports and major UNESCO mechanisms and forums. Vietnam has been trusted by the international community, taking on positions requiring deep expertise such as the Intergovernmental Committee of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2021-2025, the Intergovernmental Committee of the UNESCO 2003 Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage 2022-2026, the World Heritage Committee for the term 2023-2027, etc.

• 

  Vietnam affirms its active and responsible role at UNESCO

Recently, Vietnam continued to have 2 types of heritage recognized by UNESCO, including "The reliefs on nine bronze cauldrons in the Hue Imperial Palace" (also known as the Nine Urns) (documentary heritage of the Asia-Pacific Memory of the World Program), and the Festival of the Lady of Sam Mountain (representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity).

The titles recognized by UNESCO have contributed to raising awareness and interest of the community and society about the value of heritage; strengthening the conservation and promotion of heritage values; creating attractive cultural and tourism products, creating jobs for tens of thousands of workers; contributing to attracting investment and trade from localities, improving the material life of the community.

In the coming time, Vietnam will continue to have a number of heritages that will be considered and recognized by UNESCO, firstly at the World Heritage Committee Meeting held in July 2025 in Paris, France, typically the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac Scenic Landscape Complex and the inter-national dossiers of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Vietnam) and Hin Nam No (Laos).

In the coming time, the Deputy Minister hopes that UNESCO will expand dialogue globally, connect countries for sustainable development, promote world peace, and achieve development goals.

Overview of the working session

The Deputy Minister also said that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism believes in the vision and long-term experience in the UNESCO house of Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, and wishes Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko will achieve many favorable results in the election process of UNESCO Director General.

Expressing his delight that Vietnam has many heritages recognized by UNESCO, Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko affirmed that Vietnam is a typical example in the work of preserving and promoting the value of heritage. With Vietnam and UNESCO having extended the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation, Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko hopes that the two sides will concretize the cooperation contents into specific activities and projects.

"With my own experience, I will continue to support Vietnam in preserving and promoting heritage values," said Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko.

Taking note of Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko's comments, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong said that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will direct relevant agencies to actively implement plans, ensuring close coordination to strengthen the conservation and promotion of heritage values./.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thu-truong-hoang-dao-cuong-tiep-va-lam-viec-voi-ung-cu-vien-tong-giam-doc-unesco-20250605170438337.htm