Over the past 50 years, Van noted that Vietnam has evolved from a member receiving support from UNESCO into a partner that proactively contributes to and initiates initiatives.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO told the press that the event was the region's leading high-level policy dialogue, drawing world leaders and heritage experts. It tackled one of the core, long-term issues under the World Heritage Convention and produced four major outcomes.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van said Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy are now tightly coordinated at the local level. With support and coordination local foreign affairs agencies, more than 900 international agreements at the local level have been signed, renewed or kept in force, while over 2,500 international conferences and seminars have been licensed and staged in localities.
Under the leadership of the Party and the unified management of the State, people-to-people diplomacy will continue to be a sustainable bridge of friendship, an important channel for converging resources, spreading soft power, and protecting national interests, contributing to building the overall strength of Vietnamese diplomacy in the new era of development.
As one of the earliest countries to join the 2003 convention and currently having 17 intangible cultural heritage elements inscribed by UNESCO, Vietnam consistently regards culture as the spiritual foundation of society, both a goal and a driving force for sustainable development, Van said, adding that the country has been working to improve its legal framework, place communities at the centre, and integrate heritage conservation with education, sustainable tourism and digital transformation.