On the occasion of the visit of Director General ofthe United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Audrey Azoulay to Vietnam from June 27-29, a reporter from the Vietnam News Agency in Paris interviewed Ambassador and Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO, Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, about Vietnam's role and contributions to this organization.
- How does the Ambassador evaluate Vietnam's role and outstanding contributions to UNESCO's activities in recent times?
Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh: In recent times, we have continued to implement policies and guidelines on international integration at the UNESCO forum, especially Directive No. 25-CT/TW on promoting and enhancing multilateral diplomacy to 2030, implementing the Cultural Diplomacy Strategy to 2030, the results of the National Cultural Conference in 2021 and the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in 2023.
With the great achievements in socio -economic development and international integration after nearly 40 years of Renovation, in recent times we have joined UNESCO with a new stature and greater responsibility and have made outstanding contributions to UNESCO's activities.
Firstly, we have simultaneously fulfilled our roles well in six important UNESCO mechanisms, including Vice President of the 42nd UNESCO General Conference, Member of the UNESCO Executive Board (2021-2025); Member of the World Heritage Committee (2023-2027).
Most recently, on June 20, 2025, we were re-elected as a member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the 2005 Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2025-2029 term, becoming the first country to participate in this mechanism for two consecutive terms.
In addition, in 2024, Vietnam will also be elected and assume the role of member of the Executive Board of the Francophone Group at UNESCO.
In these positions, we proactively and actively participate in determining UNESCO's operational orientation, contributing to the development of international strategies in the areas under UNESCO's jurisdiction including education, science, culture, information and communication.
We actively discuss with other countries measures to seize opportunities for cooperation and participate in finding solutions to increasing global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, negative impacts from rapid technological development, etc.
Through this, we contribute to efforts to enhance UNESCO's position in the global governance system, and strengthen UNESCO's leading role in promoting international solidarity and cooperation in the areas under UNESCO's competence.
Second, as an active and responsible member, we support and contribute to promoting UNESCO initiatives such as supporting the adoption and development of Recommendations on open science and Recommendations on artificial intelligence (AI) ethics.
We also support the proposal to develop a separate Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on culture in the post-2030 development agenda.
Third, relevant ministries, branches, agencies and organizations of Vietnam actively participate in many UNESCO networks, attend or jointly organize UNESCO's regional and international conferences and seminars.
In addition to learning from other countries’ experiences and good practices, Vietnam also has the opportunity to share its experiences in the fields of education, science, culture, information and communication. The experiences we share are highly appreciated by many countries, especially developing countries.
In particular, in July 2023, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO coordinated with the People's Committee of Ninh Binh province to organize an international conference on promoting the value of UNESCO titles for sustainable development in Vietnam.
In September 2024, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO in coordination with the People's Committee of Lang Son province hosted the 8th Conference of the Global Geoparks Network in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is expected that next October in Hanoi, we will host the 32nd Session of the International Hydrological Programme Steering Committee for the Asia-Pacific region, in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Hydrological Programme and the 60th anniversary of the UNESCO Water Science Programme. The results of these important events have and will contribute positively and effectively to UNESCO's activities.
Our outstanding contributions have contributed to promoting UNESCO's common goal of enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation among nations in education, science, culture, information and communication, implementing UNESCO's mission of "building peace in the minds of men" and promoting peace and sustainable development in the world.
- Could you review the highlights of the cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO recently?
Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh: Recently, we have vigorously implemented the task set by the 13th Party Congress, which is to “further promote cultural diplomacy to make practical contributions to strongly promoting the national image and enhancing the country's overall strength,” while proactively and actively implementing Vietnam's policies and guidelines on multilateral diplomacy and cultural diplomacy. Thanks to that, the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and UNESCO has been strongly promoted with many outstanding marks.
First of all, it is necessary to mention that many visits and high-level contacts have been carried out with greater frequency than before. During their visits to France, high-ranking Vietnamese leaders arranged to visit the UNESCO headquarters.
General Secretary and President To Lam visited UNESCO headquarters on October 7, 2024. This is a historic visit, the first visit to UNESCO headquarters by a General Secretary and President since the Socialist Republic of Vietnam joined UNESCO in 1976.
The General Secretary and President met with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and affirmed Vietnam's policy of attaching importance to cooperation with UNESCO. The two sides also discussed major cooperation orientations in the coming time so that Vietnam can continue to be a model of effective cooperation with UNESCO.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also made a very important visit to UNESCO headquarters in 2021. Recently, on June 9, on the occasion of attending the United Nations Conference on the Ocean in Nice (France), the Prime Minister met with the Director-General of UNESCO to promote cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO, and requested UNESCO to continue supporting nomination dossiers and preserving Vietnam's heritage.
In June 2023 and November 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung also visited UNESCO headquarters to promote cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO.
On the UNESCO side, in 2022, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay will pay an official visit to Vietnam, after which we will welcome the President of the UNESCO General Conference and UNESCO Director-General's assistants to visit many times. We are very pleased to once again welcome UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay to visit Vietnam from June 26-29.
The above visits and high-level contacts are extremely important milestones to strengthen the comprehensive, substantive and effective cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO, vividly demonstrating the depth of this relationship.
Next, we are extremely proud and happy to receive many more titles from UNESCO, in 2024 alone we received 6 more titles, so far the total number of titles Vietnam has received is 72, ranging from titles of cultural, natural, and documentary heritage to titles of global geoparks, creative cities, global learning cities...
The fact that we have additional UNESCO titles demonstrates the international community's appreciation of the value of Vietnam's heritage and culture, is a source of national pride, and at the same time contributes to promoting the image and enhancing the country's soft power, and is a driving force to promote the model of sustainable socio-economic development in localities.
This also demonstrates Vietnam's efforts and commitment to enriching the treasure of human civilization and contributing to the common efforts of the international community to protect world heritages.
Relevant agencies and Hanoi city have also cooperated closely and received support from the World Heritage Center and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), creating a breakthrough in implementing the Project to preserve, restore and promote the value of the Central Area of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi, paving the way to restore Kinh Thien Palace and the main space of Kinh Thien Palace, while still ensuring compliance with the regulations of the 1972 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of World Heritage.
UNESCO and ICOMOS have repeatedly emphasized that this is a model of cooperation between a country and UNESCO and ICOMOS in preserving and promoting heritage values.
Finally, through exchanges and cooperation at the UNESCO forum - considered the "intellectual home of humanity" and "laboratory of ideas," we grasp new development trends in the world in education, natural sciences, social sciences, culture, information and communication, and have the opportunity to exchange and refer to international experiences and good practices to apply appropriately to Vietnam's reality, both to ensure our interests and to be in line with the general trend in the world.
In addition, we also took advantage of valuable technical support from UNESCO to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vietnam's new policies and guidelines on quality education, learning society, lifelong learning, education in disadvantaged areas, vocational training, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values, sustainable tourism, conservation of ecosystems and natural heritage, promotion of cultural industries, promotion of science, technology and innovation...
- What is the significance of Director General Audrey Azoulay's visit to Vietnam for the Vietnam-UNESCO cooperation relationship? What specific results does the Ambassador expect from this visit? Will there be new cooperation directions or important agreements established?
Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh: This visit to Vietnam by Director General Audrey Azoulay is of great significance to the Vietnam-UNESCO partnership.
This is an opportunity for us to update UNESCO on Vietnam's achievements in socio-economic development and international integration after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi, while promoting the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam.
This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to reaffirm its support for multilateralism, international law, the role and activities of UNESCO, and its commitment to continue to contribute proactively, positively and responsibly to promoting UNESCO's common goals, which is extremely necessary in the context of the current extremely complicated international situation with increasing global challenges.
During the visit, the two sides will review and evaluate the effectiveness of cooperation projects that have been and are being implemented under the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the 2021-2025 period between the Vietnamese Government and UNESCO. This is also an opportunity to reaffirm UNESCO's commitment to supporting Vietnam in areas such as preserving and promoting heritage values.
Vietnamese leaders at all levels will also inform UNESCO about Vietnam's new policies and guidelines on culture, education, science, technology and innovation, from which the two sides will discuss and agree on new cooperation directions in the coming time.
These important exchange contents will be specified in the process of discussing and building the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO for the next period 2026-2030.
It is expected that within the framework of the visit, Vietnamese and UNESCO leaders will witness the signing ceremony of a number of cooperation agreements between UNESCO and the Vietnamese private sector in the fields of culture and education.
With the above meanings and exchange contents, this visit to Vietnam by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay will be a new milestone, creating momentum to further deepen the comprehensive, substantive and effective partnership between Vietnam and UNESCO.
The visit is expected to further deepen the substantive and effective partnership between Vietnam and UNESCO, contributing to promoting peace and sustainable development in the world, enhancing Vietnam's role and position in the international arena, and making substantial contributions to efforts to bring Vietnam steadily into a new era, an era of national growth./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-tham-gia-unesco-voi-mot-tam-voc-moi-va-mot-trach-nhiem-lon-hon-post1046613.vnp
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