A view of the signing ceremony of the Hà Nội-Beijing memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in preserving and promoting the heritage values of the Vietnamese capital’s iconic Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám (Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy) complex.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau (China) on August 25 signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in preserving and promoting the heritage values of the Vietnamese capital’s iconic Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám (Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy) complex.

Director of the Hanoi Department Phạm Tuấn Long said Hà Nội’s Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám and the Beijing Confucian Temple and Imperial College share many similarities in history, culture and educational traditions.

Both are spaces that emphasise the importance of knowledge, learning and education, as well as the role of talent in the development of each country.

These historical and cultural similarities provide a favourable foundation for management agencies, cultural and heritage institutions, and experts from the two cities to step up the sharing of experience and knowledge and promote professional cooperation, thereby contributing to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values in contemporary life, he said.

Long also noted that Hà Nội is organising a range of activities this year to mark the 950th founding anniversary of Quốc Tử Giám – Việt Nam’s first national academy (1076–2026). In this context, the signing of the MoU at the complex is particularly meaningful as it helps to both deepen cultural exchanges and open up new opportunities for cooperation in research, preservation, exhibitions, education and heritage promotion.

At the signing ceremony, Zhang Lixin, Director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, said 2026 marks the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and China, as well as the 32nd anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Hà Nội and Beijing. Against this backdrop, the cooperation agreement on preserving and promoting cultural heritage values is of particular significance.

The two sides will conduct in-depth discussions to develop these initiatives into a model for cultural and museum cooperation between the two countries. As a first step, they should promote links between Beijing’s Temple of Confucius and Imperial College Museum and the Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Culture and Science Centre, she said.

At the event, both sides affirmed that culture and cultural heritage serve as an important and practical bridge connecting countries and peoples.

They also expressed their wish for their professional units to promptly develop and implement practical cooperation programmes and plans suited to each side’s conditions. Such efforts will help strengthen knowledge and expertise sharing, contribute to greater cultural exchanges, and consolidate the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two cities in particular and the two countries in general. — VNA/VNS