Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has commended former UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsura for his important contributions to developing the relationship between Vietnam and UNESCO in education and culture during his term of office.

At a reception in Hanoi on August 22, Koichiro Matsura congratulated Vietnam on gaining more UNESCO-recognised world heritages, which he said affirmed the nation’s cultural depth and its socio-economic development.

Deputy PM Nhan said UNESCO is close to Vietnamese people through its recognition of the country’s world cultural and natural heritage sites and the implementation of the “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” programmes.

He expressed his hope in the effective cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO and that the former UNESCO leader will assist Vietnam in seeking more projects with donations from countries experienced in heritage preservation, to help Vietnam maintain its cultural heritages./.