The Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center collaborates with the ancient town of Provins on heritage preservation

The Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins plan to implement joint activities to preserve and promote heritage values.

The Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins sign a cooperation agreement for the new phase. Photo: H.L

On October 1st, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins held a signing ceremony for a cooperation agreement to jointly carry out broader cultural cooperation programs and projects.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Quang, Director of the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, noted that Hanoi and the Ile-de-France region have had a cooperative relationship since 1989. Over the past 30 years, this local-level cooperation between Hanoi and the Ile-de-France region has continuously been strengthened and developed in various fields such as urban management, public transportation, environment, heritage conservation and promotion, and tourism development. It is considered a model of local-level cooperation between Vietnam and France.

Nguyen Thanh Quang, Director of the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, delivers a speech. Photo: H.L

Within the framework of the long-term cooperation program between Hanoi and the Ile-de-France region, since 2007, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center has effectively implemented many cooperation activities with heritage management and tourism agencies of the Ile-de-France region, receiving valuable technical support from French experts, from the process of building the World Heritage nomination dossier until the present.

On July 16, 2019, the cooperation agreement signed between the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins opened up opportunities for heritage promotion, professional knowledge exchange, capacity-building training, and technical support between experts and officials in the cultural heritage sector of Vietnam and France.

“Many successful cultural exchange events have been held in Hanoi and Provins, such as the exhibition ‘The Ancient Town of Provins – The Central Area of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Cultural Heritage within the Urban Heart,’ celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long being recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site; and the promotional space for the Thang Long Imperial Citadel – Hanoi at Provins, marking the 20th anniversary of Provins being recognized as a World Heritage Site. Both sides have also organized short-term training programs for officials in Hanoi, internships in Provins, and consultations for designing tour routes, as well as designing the tourist information center, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the heritage value of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long,” Nguyen Thanh Quang shared.

Continuing the Joint Action Program between the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ile-de-France Regional Council for the 2022-2025 period, to further implement heritage cooperation activities, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins signed the second cooperation agreement, focusing on the following areas: respecting UNESCO World Heritage values; enhancing the promotion of heritage values; capacity-building training for staff; and exchanging experts in cultural heritage and tourism.

Mr. Olivier Lavenka, Mayor of Provins and President of the Provins Urban Community, shares his thoughts. Photo: H.L

Speaking at the event, Olivier Lavenka, Mayor of Provins and President of the Provins Urban Community, shared that this cooperation will usher in a new phase in the partnership between the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins. It builds on the traditional cultural exchanges, action planning, and specific programs and projects, contributing to the overall cooperation achievements between Hanoi – Ile-de-France and Vietnam – France.

According to Olivier Brochet, French Ambassador to Vietnam, this event aims to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries and foster effective cooperation in the field of heritage preservation and promotion.

Hoang Lan (hanoimoi.vn)