According to a VNA correspondent in France, on July 6, at the ancient Prieuré Saint-Ayoul Monastery in the ancient town of Provins, the opening ceremony of the Space for promoting the heritage of Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Co Loa Relic Site took place.
The event marks an important milestone in the sustainable cooperation between Hanoi and the Ile-de-France region, while opening up new prospects for heritage conservation and tourism development between the two localities.
Images and videos introducing the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and the Co Loa Special National Monument, the Dragon image, introductory books and some unique relics of Co Loa made the ancient Prieuré Saint-Ayoul Monastery in the ancient town of Provins more lively on a gloomy, rainy weekend afternoon.
Despite the bad weather, from 4:00 pm, many officials and residents of Provins city participated in the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, Ambassador, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United NationsEducational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, along with representatives from many localities of Vietnam, were present at the event.
Based on the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Promotion Space established in 2022, the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center has updated and supplemented content, images and video clips introducing Co Loa with the theme "Co Loa, a legendary land."
In particular, the intangible cultural values of this ancient citadel (festivals, cuisine, customs and practices)... are introduced with the support of video clips and QR codes, creating a modern interactive experience, surprising and delighting visitors.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, Director of the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, this is a new feature in the cooperation program between Hanoi city and the Ile de France region in general and with the city of Provins in particular.
Speaking at the exhibition opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang expressed his honor to be present once again at the ancient urban area of Provins to witness this very important event.
According to the Ambassador, the exhibition has special significance because this is the first time the Co Loa National Monument has been introduced to the international public abroad.
Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang expressed his belief that "Provins will always accompany in promoting and honoring Vietnam's heritage, and the Co Loa Relic Site on the outskirts of Hanoi, which carries the country's important historical depth, will be introduced more widely, so that Vietnam's cultural, historical and heritage values can meet and interact with those of France, serving the common future and sustainable development of both nations."
Mayor of Provins, Mr. Olivier Lavenka expressed his joy to welcome Vietnamese friends, right in the heart of the Prieuré Saint-Ayoul Abbey, where the city of Provins was born more than a millennium ago.
"It was here that the famous Champagne Fairs took place, which contributed to our city being listed as a World Heritage Site," he said, emphasizing the similar importance of Co Loa: "Co Loa was the first capital, laying the foundation for the ancient state of the Vietnamese people. The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, is a continuation, marking the strong development of the medieval state of Dai Viet. We certainly hope that one day, Co Loa will also be recognized as a World Heritage Site."
The cooperative relationship between the Hanoi People's Committee and the Ile-de-France Regional Council has a history of more than 35 years, since it was officially established in 1989.
Over the past three decades, this partnership has been continuously strengthened and developed, becoming a model of local-level cooperation between Vietnam and France. In particular, in the field of heritage conservation and tourism development, the cooperation between the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the ancient town of Provins has made great strides.
One of the highlights of the new cooperation phase is the application of digital technology. Sharing with VNA reporters in France, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang said: "Currently, we are cooperating with Provins to put all documents and artifacts on all digital platforms of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, as well as Provins' digital platform. Therefore, even if visitors do not have the conditions to come to the site, they can still go to Provins' website to see all images of Thang Long Imperial Citadel on the platforms."
Ms. Laurence Marchal, General Director of the Provins City Tourism Agency also said: "Every year, we welcome more than 1.2 million visitors to Provins. When they come to Prieuré Saint-Ayoul, they can discover more about the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. This is very important for us in introducing this Monument to visitors, explaining this partnership and the richness of the two cultures."
Mr. Jean François Robin, a local resident, expressed: "I am very happy to see Hanoi present in Provins. It is a city that has become very familiar to our residents thanks to the exhibition here since 2022. Now most of the people of Provins know Hanoi and the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long."
According to the new cooperation agreement signed on October 1, 2024, the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center will continue to cooperate with Provins Ancient Town in the period of 2025-2027, focusing on activities such as exhibitions, image promotion; tourism promotion; organizing international scientific seminars and conferences; technical support to promote the value of the Co Loa special national relic. In addition to exhibitions and promotion, the cooperation program also focuses on experience exchange and training.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang shared: "We regularly have exchanges and especially cross-training activities. Officials of Thang Long Imperial Citadel go to Provins to learn about tourism management, conservation work and promoting the value of heritage."
"We signed a partnership agreement in 2019 and renewed it last year. And actually, we have a whole program of cooperation, especially on the Imperial Citadel and Co Loa. We welcome students, we welcome interns so we can showcase our work and really exchange skills so that each side can enrich themselves from this cooperation," added Ms. Laurence Marchal.
Expressing optimism about the potential for tourism development and prospects for bilateral cooperation in the future, Mayor Provins shared: "This cooperation will allow us to enrich each other, propose a number of new products, and forms of cooperation will allow us to welcome more Vietnamese tourists to Provins, which is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, and welcomes nearly 1.5 million visitors each year."
The opening ceremony of the exhibition Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Co Loa Relic Site in Provins is not only a cultural event but also a vivid symbol of the deep spirit of cooperation between the Vietnamese and French peoples.
With an exhibition period from July 2025 to December 2026, the exhibition promises to continue to contribute to promoting cultural understanding, developing tourism and strengthening the friendly relationship between the two localities.
As shared by Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Ambassador, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO, "this exhibition also marks the cooperation between Hanoi and the city of Provins in the work of preserving world heritage as well as in promoting the value of world heritage for the benefit of present and future generations."
With the achieved results and bright prospects ahead, the Hanoi-Provins cooperation in the field of heritage and tourism continues to affirm its emerging role in connecting human cultural values.
The space to promote the heritage of Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Co Loa in Provins has affirmed that heritage is not only a memory of the past but also a bridge to the future. Through this event, two thousand-year-old cultures have found each other, creating a beautiful story of friendship, mutual respect and a common aspiration to protect human heritage for future generations./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phien-ban-so-cua-hoang-thanh-thang-long-va-co-loa-hien-dien-giua-long-nuoc-phap-post1048276.vnp
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