Ninh Binh seeks UNESCO's enhanced support in heritage preservation

ABO/NDO- The northern province of Ninh Binh, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, wants to integrate into the global network of heritage cities and towns to learn preservation and tourism development experiences through UNESCO, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Doan Minh Huan said on January 19.

At a working session with a UNESCO delegation led by Chief Representative of UNESCO in Vietnam Jonathan Baker, Huan laid stress on UNESCO’s important role in the province’s socio-economic development in the past years, elaborating with the UNESCO recognition since 2014, the Trang An complex has helped to promote local economic restructuring and tourism development.

Ninh Binh is striving to build a millennium urban heritage site and a creative city with outstanding values, he said, adding as a wide range of challenges have been recognised in the work, including the preservation and promotion of heritage values, climate change and urbanisation, the province hoped to receive further support from UNESCO to mobilise international resources in archeological and biodiversity research, and projects to develop and pilot advanced preservation measures.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Doan Minh Huan (L) and Chief Representative of UNESCO in Vietnam Jonathan Baker. (Photo: VNA).

Ninh Binh also expects to receive assistance from and close coordination with UNESCO to build a UNESCO charter or declaration on the Trang An landscape complex, he added.

Over the past decade, the heritage site’s values have been well preserved, making it a centre to enhance cultural exchanges, attract investment, and develop sustainable tourism, he underscored, saying the site has created livelihoods for local residents and become a role model in sustainable economic and tourism development in tandem with the protection of the environment and cultural values.

Huan took this occasion to thank UNESCO and its office in Hanoi for accompanying the province to nudge Trang An closer to the world, and expressed his hope that Baker will have a successful tenure in Vietnam, helping to strengthen the cooperation between UNESCO and Vietnam as well as its localities, including Ninh Binh.

Baker, for his part, expressed his impression of the achievements that Ninh Binh has recorded, and spoke highly of the province’s strategy to turn itself into a millennium urban heritage site amidst climate change challenges that have adverse impacts on heritage sites.

Pledging enhanced support for Ninh Binh in the coming time, Baker said UNESCO Vietnam will organise international cooperation forums, helping localities with striking similarities share preservation experiences with each other.

UNESCO stands ready to back Ninh Binh to engage in the global network of heritage cities and towns, and successfully hold a celebration to mark 10 years since the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex earned the UNESCO recognition as the world's cultural and natural heritage site, he added.

(Source: NDO)