Farida Shaheed, a UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights, paid a visit to Vietnam from November 18 – 29 to study the country’s policies and laws on cultural rights as well as the enforcement of these rights.

During her stay, Shaheed held working sessions with agencies of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly, the Government and the authorities of some provinces and cities. She also visited schools, historical relic and cultural heritage sites and met with representatives from social organisations operating in culture.

The UN representative said she was impressed with the cultural diversity of regions and community groups in Vietnam , the economic development and poverty alleviation in rural areas, as well as the country’s efforts to fufil Millennium Development Goals.

She spoke highly of the country’s achievements in ensuring people’s cultural rights including enjoyment, involvement, and possession of tangible and intangible cultural heritages, developing cultural tourism, and teaching in ethnic languages.

At the same time, Shaeed brought up challenges facing Vietnam such as the rapid development of tourism activities that may result in changes in communities’ cultural life, and suggested measures to preserve traditional culture and promote locals’ role in cultural activities.-VNA