Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that it is necessary to continue to synchronously, resolutely and effectively implement the proposed tasks and solutions so that culture becomes the "soft power" and "endogenous power" of the nation - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Attending the program organized by Quang Ninh province were leaders of ministries, branches, central and local agencies, a large number of people and tourists.
With outstanding global values, on July 12, 2025, at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) held in the Republic of France, the Complex of Monuments and Landscapes of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac in Quang Ninh Province, Bac Ninh Province and Hai Phong City was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage. This is the 9th world heritage in Vietnam recognized by UNESCO and the 2nd inter-provincial world heritage in Vietnam after Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago.
The World Cultural Heritage Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac is a series of relics located in 3 provinces and cities including Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh, associated with the birth, spread and development of Truc Lam Zen sect. The heritage is the place where the pure Vietnamese Zen Buddhism Center was formed, born and developed, directly founded by Vietnamese people.
This is also the place where ancient architectural works such as pagodas, hermitages, pilgrimage routes, steles, woodblocks and well-preserved sacred sites stretch from Yen Tu to Vinh Nghiem and Con Son, Kiep Bac. The heritage fully reflects the stages of development of Truc Lam Buddhism: from its founding to its institutionalization, then to the stages of revival and continued transmission.
The World Cultural Heritage of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac recognized by UNESCO is evidence of the unique combination of the State, religion and people in the formation of the Vietnamese national identity. The sacred landscape in the complex was formed through frequent and close interactions with nature and an ethical system based on the love of peace, self-cultivation, tolerance, kindness and harmony between people and nature.
These are also places where long-standing religious and cultural traditions are practiced and inspired by the domestic and international communities, attractive religious centers and important pilgrimage destinations, affirming the vibrant cultural and spiritual values of this tradition of the Vietnamese community both at home and abroad. This is completely in line with UNESCO's core objective of promoting the common values of humanity in peace, reconciliation, harmony and harmonious coexistence.
Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Pham Duc An speaks at the program announcing the outstanding global value of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Vietnam's 9th World Heritage after 11 years
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his joy at attending the program in the sacred land of Yen Tu, in the exciting atmosphere of the entire Party, the entire army, and the entire people towards the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and the founding day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025), the 80th anniversary of the heroic Vietnam People's Public Security Forces.
According to the Prime Minister, after 11 years since Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was recognized as a world heritage in 2014, Vietnam has just had the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex recognized by UNESCO as the 9th world heritage of Vietnam. This event is a great joy and also a recognition of the successful journey of building a nomination dossier by Vietnam and localities in the heritage area.
The Prime Minister said that the dossier of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex is the first nomination dossier in Vietnam to be implemented in the form of a chain heritage, a unique and very new approach in Vietnam, inter-provincial with relic sites located in a large area. The dossier has been elaborately, methodically, and of high quality, and has been highly appreciated by UNESCO.
Quang Ninh province was assigned by the Government to take the lead in building the heritage dossier since June 2020. During the 5 years of building the dossier, the first 2 years took place in the context of the complicated and unpredictable developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the spirit of solidarity, consensus, and agreement among the localities participating in building the heritage dossier, with the core role being Quang Ninh province, they have made efforts, actively, proactively and resolutely in archaeological excavation work to promptly supplement valuable information for the heritage dossier. The dossier also received the active and important participation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, along with the enthusiastic advice and participation of domestic experts, scientists, and international consultants from Japan and New Zealand.
With the determination and utmost efforts of all parties, after many efforts with the participation of the Central Government, the perseverance of the 3 provinces and the support of the people, the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Heritage Complex has been officially recognized internationally as a World Cultural Heritage.
The Head of Government assessed that this inscription affirms the international appreciation of the value of the heritage and the good humanistic thoughts of Truc Lam Buddhism founded by King Tran Nhan Tong, as well as the efforts of localities in preserving, protecting and promoting the heritage. The role and position of the heritage being enhanced in the international arena also creates favorable conditions for preserving and promoting the value of the heritage in a sustainable manner.
The heritage complex was recognized as a result of many factors and great efforts of ministries, branches and localities; first of all, the localities have closely followed and implemented well the instructions of the Party and State leaders, the Government and the Prime Minister. At the same time, it demonstrates the great efforts and determination of Quang Ninh province in its role as the host to ensure the integrity of the heritage, as well as the comprehensiveness and persuasiveness of the dossier; and the determination to strengthen research and complete the dossier to request UNESCO to recognize it as a world heritage.
Today's achievements also demonstrate the combined strength, close and effective coordination between localities and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism - the focal agency to help the Government implement unified state management of cultural heritage, fulfill the responsibilities and commitments of member countries participating in UNESCO Conventions on cultural heritage; of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Cultural Heritage Council and experts participating in the World Heritage Committee of Vietnam.
The success of the heritage dossier has an important role of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO in Paris (France) in coordinating information, promptly connecting and working with specialized agencies of UNESCO, ICOMOS, the World Heritage Committee, and independent experts. Dozens of meetings and contacts have been held with heads of delegations, ambassadors, and experts of 20 member countries of the World Heritage Committee, the Director of the World Heritage Center, ICOMOS; focusing on updating, explaining information, clarifying outstanding global values, and strong commitments to implementing ICOMOS recommendations on heritage conservation. The Prime Minister highly appreciated the special assistance of the UNESCO Representative Office in Vietnam, international experts, and ICOMOS for actively providing professional support in completing the dossier, explaining, and implementing ICOMOS recommendations.
At the same time, the Prime Minister stated that we cannot fail to mention the close coordination role of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; the support and companionship of units, businesses, sponsors and the consensus and support of the people.
On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged and commended the Party Committees, authorities and people of the provinces of Quang Ninh, Bac Giang (now Bac Ninh province), Hai Duong province (now Hai Phong city), ministries, branches, central agencies, units, organizations and individuals who have closely coordinated, synchronously implemented solutions, overcome difficulties to research, build, complete the dossier, organize the campaign and successfully protect the dossier to nominate the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex to be inscribed in the list of world heritages by UNESCO. In particular, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the Party Committee, authorities and people of Quang Ninh province as the locality that presided over, played a key and persistent role throughout the process of building and successfully protecting the dossier.
The Prime Minister also respectfully thanked UNESCO, international organizations and member countries for supporting UNESCO to recognize the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Heritage Complex as a World Cultural Heritage.
Delegates attending the program announcing the outstanding global value of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Every citizen is a 'cultural ambassador'
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that during his lifetime, the great President Ho Chi Minh - the national liberation hero and world cultural celebrity of Vietnam - always paid special attention to the cause of preserving and promoting the national cultural heritage. In his opening speech at the first National Cultural Conference, President Ho Chi Minh put forward the thesis: "Culture lights the way for the nation to go". He pointed out that the task of new culture is to reflect the happiness of compatriots and the struggle of the nation, and at the same time, to absorb the experiences of past and present cultures to build a new Vietnamese culture with three characteristics: "national, scientific, popular". He clearly stated the position and influence of culture and art in educating the younger generation, building patriotic, independent, self-reliant, self-reliant and self-confident Vietnamese people.
Our Party and State pay special attention to cultural development. The 13th Party Congress identified cultural development as one of the key tasks, with the viewpoint that "culture is the spiritual foundation of society, both the goal and the driving force for the country's sustainable development"; emphasizing the promotion of cultural values, the strength of the Vietnamese people, building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity, so that culture truly becomes an endogenous strength, a breakthrough driving force for development and international integration in the current context.
To continue to protect and promote the outstanding global values of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Quang Ninh province to continue to preside over and coordinate with Bac Ninh province and Hai Phong city to implement the following key tasks and solutions.
Firstly, advise the Government to complete and supplement legal documents, regulations and rules at the national level and local government levels to be able to fully/in all aspects protect inter-provincial world heritage. This is an issue that countries around the world are particularly interested in building to provide a timely legal framework to handle problems arising in the practice of managing, protecting and promoting the value of world heritage in the territories of countries.
Second, specify the roles and responsibilities of the world heritage management apparatus at relevant agencies at the central level and local authorities to coordinate with the community in protecting inter-provincial heritage. In particular, in addition to the direct management agency fully equipped with facilities and funding, there should be conservation advisory committees/councils, fully gathering members of relevant parties to promote the efforts, intelligence and initiatives of all members in activities to protect and promote heritage values.
Third , develop appropriate management plans with the participation of ministries, central agencies and provinces and cities, which for the World Cultural Heritage Complex of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac are assigned to the provinces as the agencies in charge of development and implementation, in which fully identify risks affecting the heritage to develop specific action plans to prevent and minimize those risks; develop detailed management plans to respond to risks and natural disasters that may occur and plans to manage tourists, especially heritage sites with a high number of annual visitors, to have plans to limit or disperse tourists from gathering in large numbers, ensuring security, safety and avoiding damage to the heritage.
Fourth, link activities to preserve and promote world heritage values in close connection with other tangible cultural heritages and intangible cultural heritages in the region.
"These activities always aim to meet UNESCO's sustainable development goals and need to be applied systematically, with the participation of many relevant management entities; not only stopping at connecting heritage but also promoting world heritages to develop tourism products, so that heritage, in addition to its inherently quiet and closed historical life, can also have a vibrant contemporary life and more broadly, remind us to arouse and promote the nation's fine cultural traditions in tourism activities, festivals and cultural activities in the community, creating a spreading effect, creating motivation, inspiring the people, contributing to the country's rapid and sustainable development", the Prime Minister emphasized.
Fifth , further promote the image of heritage. Each citizen will be a "cultural ambassador" in continuing to spread the value, propagate and promote the unique image of this particularly important complex of monuments and landscapes to international friends, through cultural events, especially on digital platforms. The Prime Minister emphasized the people's nature, the people are both the center and the subject, both participating in building and enjoying the value from developing a culture imbued with national identity, internationalizing national cultural identity and nationalizing the quintessence of world culture.
The Prime Minister emphasized that we are very proud, moved and honored that the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac relic and scenic complex - the heritage left by our ancestors, preserved and promoted by our people for many generations, has now been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage, contributing to enriching the culture imbued with Vietnamese identity and protecting and promoting the value of our nation's cultural heritage treasure.
The Prime Minister stated that today we need to make more efforts, continue to synchronously, resolutely and effectively implement the tasks and solutions set out so that culture becomes the "soft power" and "endogenous power" of the nation; so that Vietnamese culture will be forever famous; so that the country can steadily enter a new era - the era of strong, civilized, prosperous and prosperous development of the nation as General Secretary To Lam stated.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/thu-tuong-tu-hao-xuc-dong-voi-di-san-van-hoa-the-gioi-yen-tu-vinh-nghiem-con-son-kiep-bac-a426558.html
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