“Towards a sustainable agenda on the Heritage of Central Vietnam”

Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Hoang Viet Trung, presenting at the conference. Photo: Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.

The conference focused on assessing the value of various heritages, emphasizing important issues in long-term preservation and enhancing responsibility in collaboration with heritage management boards and local communities.

Key topics discussed at the conference included ongoing strategies for a sustainable agenda on the heritage of Central Vietnam, UNESCO heritage sites, parks, national parks, and museums; commitments to engage local communities through educational projects; and balancing tourism promotions with the conservation needs and integrity of heritage sites. Additionally, proposals were put forwards for a thorough conversation among scholars, experts, major organizations representing heritage management boards, and local communities at all levels, focusing on evaluating the value of heritage types to emphasize critical issues in long-term preservation and enhance collaboration responsibilities in cooperation with monument management boards and local communities.

The conference consisted of three sessions: Heritages and Central Vietnam, Information Technology and Communication, and Comparative Study of East versus West - Heritages of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Tri, and Quang Binh provinces. These aimed to clarify the values and policies of the provinces, conservation issues, questions about identity and authenticity, potential in designing cultural tourism routes. Moreover, participants also shared knowledge through storytelling combined with multimedia solutions for responsible and sustainable development. Additionally, the presence of the Italian Ministry of Culture, CASE, and selected cultural and trade organizations from Italy would provide further diverse themes for comparing tangible and intangible heritage.

Participating in the conference, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, presented contents on “Cultural landscape ecosystem in the planning of the Emperor Gia Long Mausoleum Area - Sustainable development orientation for Community ecotourism” and “Application of Information Technology in the Conservation of cultural heritage: Digital transformation contributing to the preservation of Hue's cultural and heritage values.”