The role museums play in protecting cultural heritages in the Mekong and Ganga River valleys and the impacts of climate change were debated at an international science seminar in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on June 11-12.

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the Vietnam Institute of Literature and Arts Studies with nearly 50 scientists from Vietnam , Bangladesh , Nepal , India , Laos , Thailand , Cambodia and China taking part.

The delegates focused their discussions on climate change’s impacts on cultural heritages.

Apart from the three main topics of climate change and cultural heritages; climate change and museums and related research, the delegates also talked about setting up a network of museums and cultural agencies in the two river valleys to facilitate research and hold exhibitions.

The delegates also made a field trip to the lagoon at Tam Giang-Cau Hai and the are at the Thuan An river mouth to evaluate the impacts of climate change on the local environment, people and cultural heritages there.-VNA