Hanoi (VNA) - The 2024 Hanoi Creative Design Festival recently brought urban heritage sites like the University of Natural Sciences, the Government Guest House, and Gia Lam Locomotive Factory into the spotlight. Crowds of visitors highlighted the potential of these locations to serve as cultural and creative hubs, forming a strong foundation for cultural industries and tourism.
According to Associate Professor Dr Do Van Tru, President of the Viet Nam Association of Cultural Heritage, Viet Nam has over 10,000 provincial relics, 3,621 national relics, 130 special national relics, and around 7,000 intangible cultural heritage elements documented. Several of these have earned UNESCO recognition, including nine world cultural and natural heritage sites, 15 intangible cultural heritage elements, and 10 documentary properties.
Viet Nam is also home to 127 public museums and 70 private museums, collectively housing over 4 million artefacts. Among these, 294 objects have been designated as National Treasures.
Associate Professor Nguyen Quoc Hung from the Viet Nam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies highlighted that heritage sites such as the Complex of Hue Monuments and Ha Long Bay made substantial contributions to local budgets, generating revenues of over 350 billion VND (13.8 million USD) and 790 billion VND (31.1 million USD), respectively, in 2023.
Despite growing recognition of heritage’s value, experts believe heritage tourism still underperforms. Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Quoc Hung stressed that poor preservation could erode authenticity, undermining its educational and economic significance.
Professor Dr Trinh Sinh suggested learning from countries like Japan and China, which have managed to preserve cultural identity while pursuing economic growth.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr Bui Hoai Son, a standing member of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Education, proposed creating a Cultural Heritage Conservation Fund. This fund would establish legal frameworks and policies to address challenges in preserving heritage.
On November 23, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 65/SL on "the preservation of relics across Vietnam," a milestone now commemorated as Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Day.
By November 23, 2024, the National Assembly is expected to pass the revised Law on Cultural Heritage. This updated legislation will provide a modern legal framework to protect and promote Viet Nam’s heritage, ensuring sustainable development and cultural preservation./.
