The Vietnamese delegation at the 47th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Paris. Photo VNA/VNS

HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam has reaffirmed its commitment to effectively implementing the World Heritage Convention, placing communities and people at the heart of heritage protection, and balancing conservation with socio-economic development.

Expressing the country's viewpoint at the ongoing 47th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Paris, the Vietnamese delegation emphasised that Việt Nam always pays attention to integrating the spirit and provisions of the World Heritage Convention into its Cultural Heritage Law and the national target programme on cultural development.

The country has also been promoting the value of its eight world heritage sites and fostering fruitful collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and advisory bodies, the delegation said, pledging continued contributions to the World Heritage Fund and calling for enhanced international cooperation, effective implementation of the convention, experience sharing, capacity building, and community engagement, especially involving women and youth.

On July 10, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Vũ, who is also Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO, held meetings with key UNESCO officials, including Professor Nikolay Nenov, Chair of the 47th session; Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture; Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Centre; along with leaders from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and 20 other member states of the World Heritage Committee to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The Assistant Director-General for Culture highly valued the outcomes of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm's historic visit to UNESCO headquarters in October 2024 and the successful visit to Việt Nam by the UNESCO Director-General in June this year, helping elevate the Việt Nam - UNESCO partnership while demonstrating strategic trust and shared vision between the two sides.

The Chairman of the World Heritage Committee and the Director of the World Heritage Centre shared the view that Việt Nam is an important and trustworthy strategic partner who has made effective and substantive contributions to UNESCO cooperation, and also a model of cooperation between a member country and the organisation. They described the country as a typical example in preserving and promoting heritage values associated with sustainable tourism, economic, and livelihood development.

The leaders of UNESCO and member countries believe that Việt Nam has many initiatives and models of cooperation in managing, preserving and bringing into play world heritage values that should be widely shared with other members.

For his part, Vũ called for continued support from the UNESCO leaders and Secretariat for Việt Nam’s heritage nomination dossiers, including the Yên Tử – Côn Sơn – Kiếp Bạc Relics and Landscape Complex, Óc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site, Con Moong Cave, Đông Hồ Folk Paintings, chèo (popular opera), and Mo Mường rituals as well as HCM City’s application to become a UNESCO creative city.

The UNESCO and ICOMOS leaders expressed readiness to assist Việt Nam in preparing and advancing these nominations.

Later on July 10, the World Heritage Committee unanimously adopted Decision 47 COM 7B.92 on the conservation and promotion of the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel in Hà Nội. The decision commended Việt Nam’s progress in addressing recommendations from the 2024 session, including its work on the central axis vision, the archaeological strategy, and the interpretation plan for the site. The committee encouraged Việt Nam to continue interdisciplinary research following the approved dismantling of modern structures, with a focus on reconstructing Kính Thiên Palace and its central ceremonial space.

In recognition of Việt Nam’s proactive and cooperative approach, a joint delegation from the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS will visit the country in late July 2025. The mission will assess Việt Nam’s progress and provide technical advice to help prepare a scientific report on the conservation status of the site, along with proposals for reconstructing Kính Thiên Palace, to be submitted by February 1, 2026. These efforts will be reviewed at the committee’s 48th session in 2026.

The 47th session of the World Heritage Committee runs from July 6 to 16 in Paris, gathering over 1,000 delegates from 21 member states and more than 100 observers. The session will consider 30 new nominations, two extensions of existing sites, and review the conservation status of 248 listed World Heritage properties. - VNA/VNS