Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh, Vietnam has officially been recognized as the World Heritage
At 11h57’ (Qatar), 15h57’ (Vietnam), on 23 June 2014 in Doha, Qatar, Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh provine, Vietnam has officially been recognized by UNESCO as the World Heritage.
Vietnam Delegation at the 38th Meeting of UNESCO held in Doha, Qatar
In a joyful and prideful atmosphere, Mrs. Dang Thi Bich Lien – Vice Minister of Culture – Sports – Tourism , Head of Vietnam Delegation at the 38th Meeting UNESCO emotionally said:
“At this memorable moments, on behalf of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, I would like to express sincere thanks to the member countries of UNESCO for approval of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex as the World Heritage. We would like to extend our gratitude and acknowledge the assistance and helps from the specialists of the World Heritage Center, IUCN and ICOMOS for supporting the nomination and completion of Trang An documents, at the same time we would like to acknowledge the contributions of people in Trang An, Ninh Binh who have made contributions to uphold, protect and promote the heritage values.
It is a great hournor for Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex to be recognized as the World’s Heritage by World Heritage Committee while is also a huge responsibility for Vietnam to protect, popularize the Globally Prominent Values of the heritage and to transfer all to the future generations.
On this occasion, once again we would like to commit to strictly comply with the World Heritage Convention in order to protect the World Heritages in Vietnam.”.
First attendance of Vietnam in the 38th Meeting of UNESCO as one of the 21 member countries of UNESCO – World Heritage Committee – Photo: Quoc Anh
Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex Vietnam’s old capital of Hoa Lu in the 10th and 11th centuries, Trang An – Tam Coc – Bich Dong natural scenes and the Hoa Lu primitive forest. The importance of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex can also be confirmed by the fact that the Prime Minister, Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism, People’s Committee of Ninh Binh province ranked series of vestiges in the complex at different levels, including 18 vestiges of provincial level, 21 vestiges of national level and 02 of specially national level.
The Globally Prominent Values of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex has been recognized by UNESCO basing on 03 key criteria specified in Operational Guidelines for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, including:
1 – To achieve the criteria on:
– Criterion (v) about culture: Trang An contained evidence of the interaction between humans and the environment, express human adaptation to variable conditions of geography and the harshest of environments in the history of the Earth, especially climate changes at the end and immediately after the last glaciations.
– Criterion (vii) about aesthetic beauty: karts landscape of Trang An contains beautiful natural landscapes with the majestic mountains, mysterious caves, tranquil river with sacred temples and shrines.
– Criterion (viii) about geology – geomorphology: Trang An landscape complex attest to the final stages of karts evolution in humid tropical climate environment.
2 – Ensure the integrity and authenticity.
3 – Have implemented and ensure the full enforcement of the protection of heritage management.
To get this result, for many years, the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism, UNESCO Vietnam, National Council for Cultural Heritage, People’s Committee of Ninh Binh and relevant agencies with domestic, international scientists have promoted research on heritage values, on that basis to nominate Trang An landscape for the World Heritages. Accordingly, the documents for recommendation of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex with high scientific quality has been prepared. Especially, Ninh Binh province had many tremendous effort to protect heritage before the effects of nature and human, to keep the outstanding universal values of the heritage.
International delegations congratulate Vietnam after Trang An Scenic Landscape is recognized as the World Heritage – Photo: Viet Cuong
Trang an landscape Complex was enrolled in the World Heritage list at this session, Up to now, the latest inscription raises the number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Vietnam to eight, especially, Trang An became Vietnam’s first mixed world heritage both in term of culture and nature. At the same time, the recognition confirmed the tremendous efforts of Vietnam in the protection and preservation of the cultural and natural heritage of the country and of mankind as well.
MA. Nguyen Viet Cuong – Department of Cultural Heritage
(Report from Doha, Qatar)
