UNESCO live streams session on Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem

UNESCO live streams session on Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex

Statue of Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong on the sacred Yen Tu mountain. Photo: Nguyen Hung

The meeting to consider the inclusion of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex into the World Heritage List is expected to take place tomorrow (July 11, 2025).

The session was streamed live on UNESCO's official website at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/47com

This is the first time at a UNESCO annual session that all daily sessions have been publicly streamed online on UNESCO's official website.

The broadcast has no limit on the number of viewers and does not require registration, demonstrating UNESCO's commitment to ensuring transparency and expanding access to information for a global public.

The 47th session of the World Heritage Committee officially opened at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France on July 7 and will last until July 16, 2025.

The Vietnamese delegation attending the event was represented by Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu - Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO. The delegation also included representatives from agencies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and delegations from provinces with World Heritage sites in Vietnam.

The delegation of Quang Ninh province was led by Mr. Nguyen Hong Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; with the participation of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh - Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee.

At this session, one of the core tasks of the Vietnamese delegation in general and Quang Ninh province in particular is to protect and promote the listing of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex as a World Heritage Site.

Vietnam nominated the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son Kiep Bac Complex, centered on the Truc Lam Zen sect - a Buddhist sect founded by Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong in the 13th century, which plays a role in connecting many locations, events, and historical figures.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, three relevant localities, along with experts and scientists, had an online dialogue with experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to explain and clarify the contents of the nomination dossier for the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex. Photo: Quang Ninh Provincial Media Center

The dossier was initiated in 2012. Over the past 13 years, the authorities have coordinated with ICOMOS (UNESCO's professional consulting unit) and international experts to conduct field surveys and assessments in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong (formerly Hai Duong province) and Bac Ninh (formerly Bac Giang province) - where the heritage complex is located.

According to the nomination documents, the complex has a total core area of 525.75 hectares, and a total buffer area of 4,380.19 hectares. Of which, the core area includes 12 main heritage components, fully reflecting the stages of formation, spread and revival of Truc Lam Zen. The buffer zone plays a role in protecting the cultural landscape, ensuring the integrity and connectivity of the complex, and is strictly managed.

The relic complex is a sacred cultural landscape planned synchronously with hundreds of pagodas, temples, towers and ancient relics, spread over 3 provinces and cities, connecting into a unified entity both in space and spirituality.

This is an inter-provincial nomination file of Vietnam, with special religious, cultural and historical significance, having existed for more than 700 years and becoming a living cultural heritage.

Unique features of Truc Lam Buddhism: Truc Lam is the only Buddhist Zen sect in the world founded by a king. Truc Lam blends Mahayana Buddhism with Confucianism, Taoism, Vietnamese cultural traditions and indigenous beliefs, creating a unique spiritual and philosophical identity, demonstrating a rare intersection between religion, governance and culture, promoting the values of peace, harmony and reconciliation.

The influence of Truc Lam goes beyond the national scope, spreading regionally and globally. Currently, Truc Lam Buddhism has more than 30 million followers, 50,000 monks and nuns and 15,000 pagodas in more than 30 countries such as Korea, India, the US, the UK, Japan and many other countries. In France, the most prominent is Truc Lam Paris Pagoda and in the US, there is the Tran Nhan Tong Peace Prize.

Source: https://laodong.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/unesco-phat-truc-tiep-phien-hop-ve-quan-the-yen-tu-vinh-nghiem-con-son-kiep-bac-1538410.ldo