Int’l conference talks harnessing values of UNESCO titles for sustainable development

Ninh Bình is the only place in Việt Nam to possess "double" UNESCO titles: Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, a mixed Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World.

An international conference on harnessing the values of UNESCO titles for sustainable development in Việt Nam opened at Bái Đính pagoda, the northern province of Ninh Bình on Monday.

The event was co-hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and the Ninh Bình provincial People’s Committee.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phạm Quang Ngọc said Ninh Bình is the only place in Việt Nam to possess "double" UNESCO titles: Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, a mixed Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World.

He hoped that delegates will share experience and visions on specialised mechanism to unlock and mobilise resources for heritage conservation and development.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc said localities with UNESCO-recognised heritage are facing many challenges, the greatest of which is how to reach harmony of economic development and heritage conservation.

He proposed that participants shared success stories of localities in harnessing UNESCO titles to serve sustainable development, which will provide valuable lessons for localities in the process of building UNESCO nomination dossiers or seeking additional UNESCO titles.

With its vast and diverse cultural and natural resources, Việt Nam has won UNESCO's recognition for 8 world cultural and natural heritages, 15 intangible cultural heritages, 9 documentary heritages, 3 global geoparks, and 11 world biosphere reserves, said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng in opening the conference.

He noted that many UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage items have become well-known tourist attractions, contributing to local development, citing statistics that in 2019, over 18.2 million visitors visited world heritage sites in Việt Nam, generating revenues of VNĐ1.8 trillion (over US$76.3 million at current rate).

Việt Nam is focusing efforts on realising the global goal of enhancing protection of UNESCO-recognised heritage, he said, affirming that protection and promotion of heritage's values in connection with sustainable development of tourism is also an important solution to turn tourism into a spearhead industry of the country.

The two-day event will be divided into three sessions, focusing on the practices of harnessing UNESCO titles for sustainable development in Việt Nam, international experience and resources for the effort.

Delegates are scheduled to make a field trip to Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex and talk with local residents.