Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends ceremony announcing the outstanding universal value of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac World Heritage Site

On the evening of August 17, 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the ceremony announcing the outstanding universal value of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac World Cultural Heritage, alongside the special art program “The sounds of Yen Tu - An eternal heritage.”

Also present were senior government officials, including Nguyen Minh Vu, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Y Thong, Deputy Minister of ethnic affairs and religion, as well as leaders from Hai Phong and Bac Ninh.

From Quang Ninh, the province’s top leadership joined local residents and visitors in celebrating this historic recognition.

On July 12, 2025, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially inscribed the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac complex, spanning Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong as a world cultural heritage at its 47th session in France. This is Vietnam’s ninth World Heritage site, and its second trans-provincial heritage after Ha Long bay - Cat Ba archipelago.

The complex is closely tied to the birth and flourishing of the Truc Lam Zen tradition, the first uniquely Vietnamese school of Buddhism founded by King Tran Nhan Tong. With its ancient pagodas, shrines, hermitages, pilgrimage routes, steles, woodblocks, and sacred sites stretching from Yen Tu to Vinh Nghiem and Con Son - Kiep Bac, the heritage reflects the entire historical journey of Truc Lam Buddhism, from its foundation and institutionalization to later revivals and transmissions.

UNESCO recognized the site as a testament to the unique interplay of state, religion, and community in shaping Vietnamese identity. The sacred landscape embodies harmony with nature and values of peace, tolerance, compassion, and self-cultivation. It remains a living spiritual center, an enduring place of worship and pilgrimage, and a source of inspiration for both Vietnamese people and international visitors.

Quang Ninh, together with Bac Ninh and Hai Phong, spent more than a decade preparing the nomination dossier. The process involved extensive research, documentation, and dozens of national and international conferences, supported by archaeological findings and scientific studies.

Experts agreed that Truc Lam Buddhism, with its distinctive spirit of engaged practice introduced by King Tran Nhan Tong, has had far-reaching influence both in Vietnam and abroad.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highlighted the significance of this achievement, noting that 11 years after Trang An was inscribed as a world heritage site, Vietnam is proud to welcome its ninth. He emphasized that this success reflects the strong coordination among central and local authorities, ministries, experts, and the support of the people, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister also recalled the words of President Ho Chi Minh, the great leader and UNESCO-honored man of culture, who once said: “Culture lights the path for the nation.” He reaffirmed the Party and State’s commitment to placing culture at the heart of sustainable development and called for five priority actions: strengthening the legal framework for heritage protection, clarifying management responsibilities, preparing risk and disaster plans, linking conservation with sustainable tourism, and promoting the heritage widely so that every citizen becomes a “cultural ambassador.”

 “The inscription of the Yen Tu- Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac complex enriches the cultural identity of Vietnam. It represents a form of soft power and a source of inner strength, ensuring that culture becomes a true driver of progress, allowing Vietnamese civilization to shine for generations as our nation strides confidently into a prosperous, modern, and civilized era”, he said.

Expressing his gratitude and acknowledging the Prime Minister’s guidance, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee, Pham Duc An,  affirmed that Quang Ninh, together with Bac Ninh and Hai Phong, will faithfully carry out and translate into action the Prime Minister’s profound and comprehensive instructions on safeguarding, promoting, and sharing the unique values of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac world cultural heritage.

He stressed that this is both a great honor and a solemn responsibility. The three localities are committed to upholding the highest sense of duty, working closely and proactively to develop and implement a heritage management plan in line with national legislation and the UNESCO Convention on the protection of cultural heritage.

The aim is to preserve the integrity of the site while fostering creativity and harmony within the framework of sustainable development, turning traditional values into a powerful source of inner strength that will help build an advanced culture deeply rooted in national identity, and serve as a driving force for the country’s development in an era of globalization and international integration.

He also expressed his belief that the heritage will continue to shine, not only as a cultural and spiritual symbol of Vietnam, but also as an inspiring destination for visitors from around the world, a place that nurtures values of peace, humanity, and wisdom in every individual.