According to VNA correspondent in France, on July 13, at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, UNESCO officially adopted a historic decision: adjusting the boundary of the World Natural Heritage Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, including Laos' Hin Nam No National Park, creating the first cross-border world heritage named "Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park."
This decision of particular historical significance was made based on three important UNESCO criteria: geology and geomorphology, ecosystems, and biodiversity. This is not only a success for the two countries but also a testament to the power of international cooperation in the conservation of natural heritage.
With this decision, Vietnam officially has 9 World Heritages, including 2 inter-provincial Heritages: Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago (Quang Ninh and Hai Phong) and Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Scenic Complex (Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong), along with this first inter-border Heritage.
Today's success is the result of a seven-year cooperation process between the two neighboring countries.
Starting from the Memorandum of Understanding signed on January 10, 2018 between the two Ministries of Culture on supporting Laos to make Hin Nam No National Park a World Natural Heritage, this process has gone through many important stages.
In 2023, the two governments agreed on the policy of building a dossier to nominate Laos' Hin Nam No National Park as a cross-border World Heritage Site with Vietnam's Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
On that basis, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung had direct working sessions with Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket. The Vietnam Department of Cultural Heritage directly coordinated, guided and supported the Lao Department of Cultural Heritage throughout the entire process of building the dossier, with the enthusiastic support of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Management Board of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and relevant agencies.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park form one of the most outstanding and intact karst landscapes and ecosystems in the world.
Located at the junction of the Annam Mountains and the Central Indochina Limestone Belt, the area has a unique geological history with karst formations that developed during the Paleozoic period some 400 million years ago.
Geologically and geomorphologically, the area belongs to the largest intact tropical wet karst systems in the world. The diversity of polygonal karst features recorded is not found anywhere else in the world.
Of particular importance are the Son Doong and Xe Bang Fai caves, which contain the world's largest recorded cave passages in terms of diameter and continuity.
Ecologically, this is a place to protect globally significant ecosystems in the Northern Annamite Rainforest terrestrial ecoregion. The complexity and relative integrity of the limestone landscape has created many ecological niches, providing opportunities for ecological processes and species evolution.
In terms of biodiversity, the area is home to more than 2,700 vascular plant species and 800 vertebrate species recorded in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
At Hin Nam No, more than 1,500 vascular plant species and 536 vertebrate species have been recorded, including the Giant Hunting Spider—the largest spider by leg span globally and endemic to Khammouane Province.
In his speech thanking the World Heritage Committee and international friends for their support, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chairman of the National Heritage Committee of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Suansavanh Viyaketh also happily expressed: "Today marks a meaningful day and a proud moment for the Lao Government and the entire Lao society, when Hin Nam No National Park of the Lao People's Democratic Republic has been officially listed as an extension of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park World Heritage in Vietnam."
Sharing with VNA reporters in France, Lao Ambassador to UNESCO, Kham-Inh Khitchadeth expressed his joy and pride: "Today, I am very proud to have UNESCO recognize the nomination dossier of Hin Nam No National Park through the expansion of the boundary adjustment of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang World Natural Heritage in Northern Vietnam. On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Vietnamese side for supporting our proposal."
He also emphasized his vision for the future: "I believe that, since these two National Parks are jointly recognized, in the future, our two countries will work closely together to promote these National Parks, not only to promote tourism but also to preserve the common heritage of both countries in the future."
Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong also shared this view when emphasizing: "The adjustment of the boundary of Phong Nha-Ke Bang Hin Nam No National Park to be recognized as a world natural heritage is not only a success of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, but also demonstrates the friendship between Vietnam and Laos. In the past time, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Quang Tri province have coordinated with relevant agencies of Laos to build a dossier and submit it to UNESCO and at the 47th session taking place in Paris today, Laos' Hin Nam No National Park was officially recognized as a world natural heritage. We consider this a common success, demonstrating the evergreen, everlasting friendship between the two countries. In the coming time, agencies of Vietnam and Laos will continue to coordinate to best preserve and promote the value of the transnational natural heritage between Laos and Vietnam and also for sustainable economic development."
Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Province Hoang Xuan Tan affirmed that during the process of making the dossier, Quang Tri Province in general in the past, as well as Quang Tri Province in the future, Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park also actively supported Lao friends in the process of building the dossier.
"Because Hin Nam No and Phong Nha Ke Bang are adjacent to each other, in the near future we will also have a management plan in the process of conservation and development of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No in the most synchronous and effective way."
Referring to important tasks in the coming time, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien - Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage said: "To effectively manage the cross-border World Heritage between the two countries of Vietnam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the two sides need to continue to promote the implementation of scientific research topics and establish operational methods to be able to deal with risks affecting the heritage."
She also emphasized the need to "assess tourism capacity in accordance with the capacity and ecological resource capacity of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park." In particular, Vietnam can support Laos in improving its capacity to develop legal regulations in managing, protecting and promoting the value of World Heritage sites.
This success is not only the expansion of a world heritage but also a profound symbol of the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.
The Lao Ambassador emphasized: "We hope that this heritage will become a driving force and symbol for the relationship between our two countries in the international arena," and as Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong affirmed: "We consider this a common success, demonstrating the evergreen, everlasting friendship between the two countries."
The recognition of the World Natural Heritage "Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park" by UNESCO not only has conservation significance but also opens up many opportunities for sustainable development.
This will be the first model for cross-border world heritage management, helping Vietnam contribute practical experience to world heritage management according to the 1972 UNESCO Convention.
Moreover, this success opens up prospects for sustainable tourism development, creating livelihoods for local communities on both sides of the border, while contributing to further tightening the friendship and solidarity between the two peoples of Vietnam and Laos.
With 9 World Heritage Sites, Vietnam continues to affirm its strong commitment to protecting and promoting the values of precious cultural and natural heritage, while demonstrating the spirit of international cooperation in preserving the common heritage of humanity./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-lao-co-di-san-thien-nhien-the-gioi-chung-dau-tien-duoc-unesco-cong-nhan-post1049443.vnp
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