Hoi An's restoration plan proposed
PSNews - Recently, the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee has proposed a master restoration plan for Hoi An ancient town and relics with an estimate fund of US$66.8 million in 2030-35 to continue the preservation of the world heritage site.
This master restoration plan aims to repair downgraded relics, old houses and pagodas in Hoi An that have been in ruined due to annual floods and storms, contributing to protecting the integrity, authenticity, and outstanding global value of the heritage and ensuring the consistency and harmony between conservation and promotion of heritage values with socio-economic development.
The ancient town, which was recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999, has 1,439 relics and old houses, of which 80 per cent belong to the Old Quarter, built from 100 and 200 years ago.
Quang Nam had allocated funds for restoration of nearly 900 relics and old houses in different projects from 1997-2005, and 2012-22 at a cost of US$12 million.
Currently, experts from Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and Vietnam have been repairing and strengthening the structure of the centuries-old Japanese Bridge – a symbol of Hoi An and the Vietnam - Japan friendship.
Hoi An ancient town is seen as the most attractive destination in central Vietnam, hosting 13.5 million tourists in 2018-22. The town has been promoting ‘green’ and sustainable tourism with zero-waste, non-plastic and low carbon policies.
Hoi An City officially became a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the Crafts and Folk Art category last year.
Local traditional crafts have been preserved as sustainable livelihoods for thousands of families, including carpentry, terra-cotta, lantern-making, bamboo work, nipa-palm processing, garment production and leather crafting.
More than 1,700 households and 685 small-scale enterprises with 4,000 laborers and craftsmen are engaged in crafts and the performance of folk arts.
Many traditional festivals in the old town have been recognized as national heritages including the Mid-Autumn Full Moon Festival and the annual Nguyen Tieu (fullmoon of lunar January) Festival, as well as Thanh Chau bird's nest, Thanh Ha Pottery Village, the carpentry trade of Kim Bong Village, and the Tra Que vegetable garden.
