Exhibition “Connecting World Heritage Sites” in Tràng An (Ninh Bình) – the meeting place of world heritage sites in Việt Nam

On 22 January 2015, at Bái Đính Pagoda, Tràng An – Ninh Bình, the Management Board of the Tràng An Landscape Complex organized an exhibition introducing world heritage sites in Vietnam, under the theme of “Connecting World Heritage Sites”.

The exhibition is part of a series of events celebrating the inscription of the Tràng An Landscape Complex on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and a response to the 2015 National Year of Tourism whose theme is “Connecting Lands of Heritage”.

The exhibition is divided into eight sections, displaying artifacts, photos, and documents about the beauty and outstanding universal value of eight heritage sites in Vietnam, namely the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long – Hà Nội, Hạ Long Bay, Citadel of the Hồ dynaty, Tràng An Landscape Complex, Complex of Huế Monuments, Phong Nha Kẻ Bàng National Park, Ancient Town of Hội An and Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary.

The participating heritage sites introduce to the public many typical and symbolic images such as the Bridge Pagoda (Chùa Cầu) in Hội An, terracotta dragon heads in Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, Chăm Towers in Mỹ Sơn, among others. Besides, there are also many documents, leaflets, publications, souvenirs, gifts, symbols to serve the needs of the sightseeing public. This is also a good chance for heritage sites to introduce their best tourism products and network with other proprietors of world heritage sites.

The exhibition stall of Thăng Long Imperial Citadel was nicely organized, creating a special impression about a heritage site that dates back to over 1300 years ago with diverse and rich cultural layers, home to many valuable artifacts that were symbolic of the palaces in Thăng Long.

Also on the morning of the same day 22 January 2015, UNESCO Office in Vietnam organized a conference on the sustainability of conservation work in Ninh Bình, home to the Tràng An Landscape Complex, a recently inscribed mixed world heritage site of Vietnam. The conference was attended by representatives of advisory bodies, experts, site managers, professionals and administrators in order to devise a draft of amended policy for the integration of sustainable development into the processes of implementing the World Heritage Convention as requested by the World Heritage Committee at the 36th meeting in Saint Petersburg, 2012.

Kim Yến
Thăng Long – Hà Nội Heritage Conservation Centre