Convention on the protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage
In 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. This is an international convention with far-reaching influence, with nearly 200 member countries researching and implementing it. In Vietnam, since joining the Convention, many important steps have been made in terms of awareness, theory and practice in protecting and promoting the value of world heritage. In particular, the Trang An – Ninh Binh World Cultural and Natural Heritage Complex is a vivid manifestation of those efforts.
UNESCO Convention 1972. The only international convention combining the protection of cultural and natural heritage. Since its inception, after 50 years, it has not changed: With 08 Chapters, 38 Articles, addressing many important issues about World Heritage. For example, identifying types of natural or cultural sites that can be considered for inclusion in the World Heritage List. Setting out the duties of member states in protecting and preserving the honored heritages. And conducting scientific and technical research to apply measures to help Heritages create livelihoods for the people.
Vietnam joined the World Heritage Convention in 1987. Since then, the legal system on cultural heritage has been gradually built closer to the spirit of the Convention, the world heritage management apparatus from the central to local levels has been gradually consolidated, resources to protect world heritages have been prioritized and mobilized to the maximum. In particular, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has selected and submitted to UNESCO for inclusion in the tentative list and has begun to prepare nomination dossiers. By 2022, 8 heritages have been honored by UNESCO as World Heritage. Of which, Trang An is the first dual heritage in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.