Harnessing the values of UNESCO titles for sustainable development

The event welcomed the participation of more than 220 delegates and guests including representatives of high-ranking leaders of the Party, State, relevant ministries and sectors and provinces and cities of Vietnam; representatives of the leaders of UNESCO, Presidents of the National Commission of the countries in the region, representatives of UNESCO offices and organizations, representative of a number of United Nations organs in Vietnam; domestic and international experts in the fields of conservation, planning, architecture, and economics.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee Pham Quang Ngoc said that, Ninh Binh is the only place in Vietnam to possess "double" UNESCO titles: Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a mixed Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World. He hoped that delegates will share experience and visions on specialised mechanism to unlock and mobilise resources for heritage conservation and development.

On his part, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said localities with UNESCO-recognised heritage are facing many challenges, the greatest of which is how to reach harmony of economic development and heritage conservation. Therefore, he proposed that participants shared success stories of localities in harnessing UNESCO titles to serve sustainable development, which will provide valuable lessons for localities in the process of building UNESCO nomination dossiers or seeking additional UNESCO titles.

According to Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, ith its vast and diverse cultural and natural resources, Vietnam has won UNESCO's recognition for 8 world cultural and natural heritages, 15 intangible cultural heritages, 9 documentary heritages, 3 global geoparks, and 11 world biosphere reserves.

He then noted that many UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage items have become well-known tourist attractions, contributing to local development. Vietnam is focusing efforts on realising the global goal of enhancing protection of UNESCO-recognised heritage, he said, affirming that protection and promotion of heritage's values in connection with sustainable development of tourism is also an important solution to turn tourism into a spearhead industry of the country.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations affirmed that, Vietnam is a model of positive and fruitful cooperation with UNESCO. Vietnam joined UNESCO in 1976. Since then and across 47 years, Vietnam and UNESCO have built a strong relationship based on a shared belief in the crucial importance of education, the sciences and culture as key drivers for sustainable development.

He also stated that, Vietnam has also been a context which has helped showcase the role of new partnerships in sustainable development, including the key role of the private sector. Their engagement is crucial for SDG attainment and addressing climate change.

"We are committed to working closely with the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of Viet Nam to UNESCO in Paris to achieve our shared objectives under the shared values which motivate, unite and guide our common effort in the service of the great people," he said.

The conference focused on discussing models of conservation and promotion of heritage, titles for sustainable development in localities in particular and Vietnam in general.

The 2-day conference consisted of 3 thematic sessions, which are: the practices of promoting values of UNESCO designations for sustainable development in Viet Nam; UNESCO designations and sustainable development: international experience; and the methods to mobilize resources for sustainable development through UNESCO designations.

The international conference also included visiting activities to UNESCO heritage sites in Viet Nam and related conservation - promotion forms.