Vietnam will continue to support reform efforts initiated by the Director General of UNESCO with the aim to help the organisation overcome current difficulties and enhance its efficiency and position.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son made the commitment at the 192nd session of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Executive Board on September 30 in Paris.

Deputy FM Son, who is also President of the National Vietnam Commission for UNESCO, made it clear that Vietnam applauds UNESCO’s decision to continue giving priority to the two initiatives - Education for All (EFA) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

On its part, Vietnam has recorded a number of achievement in implementing EFA and ESD, and is ready to share its experience with other member countries, Son said.

He noted that the tripartite cooperation model under the ESD initiative involving UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam and Samsung has proved its effectiveness, contributing to enhancing students’ awareness of environmental protection.

At the same time, the diplomat underscored that UNESCO conferment of tangible and intangible cultural heritage titles has made positive impacts on raising people’s awareness of preserving and promoting the heritage’s value.

He reported that on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in June this year, Vietnam organised the Quang Nam Heritage Festival with the participation of ASEAN member countries, realising its high-level commitments to popularising the convention among localities.

Son added that in December this year, Vietnam will host a Vietnam-ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong to honour tangible and intangible heritages of ASEAN member countries.

In the field of science and technology, the diplomat said Vietnam values UNESCO’s programmes and initiatives, including those on Man and Biosphere (MAB), Memory of the World (MOW) and Global Geopark Network.

The 192nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board session will run from September 24 to October 11.

During discussions, members of the UNESCO Executive Board agreed that the organisation has maintained its prestige and position among all member countries.

The effective reform programme initiated by Director-General Irina Bokova also received support by UNESCO members, who affirmed their determination to speed up the reform in the future, optimising the achievements that the organisation has gained over the past years.

Before the session convened, UNESCO Director-General Bokova host a reception for Deputy FM Son, during which the leader said she and members of the Executive Board recognise Vietnam’s positive and constructive contributions to U NESC O’s operations over the past years.

Vietnam, with various cultural heritages, deserves to be a pillar in the ASEAN, she said, adding that the first Vietnam-ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival to be hosted by Vietnam is an important event contributing to strengthen ASEAN connectivity, especially in the field of cultural heritage.

Bokova also voiced her hope that Vietnam will further promote its role in conserving natural, tangible and intangible heritages to match its status as well as the trust of international friends.-VNA