French experts visit historical relics displayed at the Điện Biên Phủ Victory Museum. Photo courtesy of the French Institute in Việt Nam

HÀ NỘI — The Caen Memorial Museum (CMM) in France has pledged to provide significant support to Việt Nam's Điện Biên Phủ Victory Museum (ĐBPVM) to promote the museum's activities, help preserve its artefacts and improve its permanent displays.

The support was offered within the framework of cooperation between the two museums, which helps enhance mutual understanding between the two countries and promote the historical value of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory to foreign friends, experts have said.

During a working visit made by a delegation of experts from the CMM to the ĐBPVM led by historian Clément Fabre and accompanied by Cultural Attaché and Director of Hà Nội's French Institute Franck Bolgiani this week, the two sides met to discuss cooperation and to concretise the contents of the agreement signed between them.

Experts from the Caen Memoria Museum of France visit the Điện Biên Phủ Victory Museum. Photo courtesy of the French Institute in Việt Nam

The visit also helped boost exchanges of experiences, cooperation and coordination between museums, with a focus on implementing scientific and cultural research projects and the collection and display of artefacts. Another aim for the visit included enhancing relations between the two museums to promote historical heritage, especially documents and artefacts related to the Điện Biên Phủ battle.

Speaking at a meeting with the delegation, Trần Hải Hà, Deputy Director of Điện Biên Province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the ĐBPVM and the CMM not only preserve and promote history to younger generations, but are also tourism destinations that attract domestic and foreign visitors alike.

The ĐBPVM and the CMM signed a cooperation agreement on May 28, 2025, taking a new step in preserving and promoting historical heritage. Photo bvhttdl.gov.vn

Hà said: "In the near future, we hope the Caen Memorial Museum will share new technical and professional solutions, and at the same time help the Điện Biên Phủ Victory Museum preserve and maintain artefacts and improve displays."

Fabre said: "The battle of Điện Biên Phủ marked a decisive historical milestone for Việt Nam, for France, and more broadly for the formation of the world we live in today, because this victory contributed greatly to the process of decolonisation worldwide.

"For us, being able to research this landmark event in world history with our Vietnamese colleagues, as well as sharing our experiences and expertise on this shared memory, is a meaningful and exciting task."

The ĐBPVM and the CMM signed a cooperation agreement on May 28, taking a new step in preserving and promoting historical heritage, especially documents and artefacts related to the glorious Điện Biên Phủ campaign, a symbol of the fight for national independence.

Under the agreement, the two sides will coordinate in many areas. These include collecting, preserving and displaying artefacts; exchanging professional expertise; conducting scientific research; and organising exhibitions in both countries about the Điệt Biên Phủ battlefield.

The ĐBPVM will provide documents, pictures and digital image files on the Điện Biên Phủ battle, along with additional items related to the economy, culture and landscapes of Điện Biên Province, for use in the CMM's exhibition for the French people and international visitors.

Meanwhile, the CMM will support the ĐBPVM in its professional and scientific work, helping with innovations to the museum's permanent exhibitions and organising short-term exhibitions in line with modern museum trends.

The two sides will also coordinate on museum operations, co-organise scientific and cultural research projects and share experiences in exhibitions and artefact preservation.

Special attention will be paid to metal artefacts, such as weapons, ammunition and military equipment dating from 1945 to 1954.

The agreement included plans for working visits between the two museums and thematic exhibitions about the Điện Biên Phủ campaign at the CMM as well as the ĐBPVM.

Transfers of artefacts and documents in electronic or copy form will ensure the protection of intellectual property rights and a commitment to confidentiality of information, as stipulated under the agreement.

The museums will also ensure artefacts and documents are not used for commercial purposes or contrary to the laws of either country.

Both sides will establish an annual coordination mechanism based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, selecting cooperation content appropriate to their functions and existing resources.

Any disputes arising during the implementation process will be resolved through negotiation and consultation. The agreement is effective for five years and will be automatically renewed if there is no written termination from either party.

The signing of the cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese and French museums is an important step forward in enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries, while spreading the historical value of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory to people around the world. VNS