UN listings a boost for local heritage

Viet Nam made several breakthroughs in terms of cultural diplomacy in 2009, with its biosphere reserves and cultural heritages added to the list of UNESCO-recognised sites.
The Cham Islands, 20km off the coast of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam, and Ca Mau Cape, the southernmost part of the country, were officially recognised as World Biosphere Reserves by the United Nation's Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) last May, paving the way for a year of success.
A collection of Nguyen dynasty wood blocks was named a Memory of the World by the UN agency for the first time as well.
In late September and early October, UNESCO also recognised Quan Ho Bac Ninh singing (Bac Ninh folk love duets) and Ca Tru (ceremonial songs) as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage, with the latter needing urgent action to be safeguarded from being lost to history.
As a result, Viet Nam has to date been recognised by the cultural organisation for its numerous assets: a Memory of the World (the Nguyen dynasty wood blocks), nine assets of natural and cultural heritage – Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, Hue ancient city and Hue Royal Music in Thua Thien-Hue Province, Hoi An ancient town and My Son tower in Quang Nam and the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands, along with Quan Ho Bac Ninh and Ca Tru singing, as well as eight world biosphere reserves including Can Gio, Cat Tien, the Red River Delta, Cat Ba, Kien Giang, west Nghe An, Cham Islands and Ca Mau Cape.
Pham Sanh Chau, Head of the Foreign Ministry's Cultural Diplomacy Department and general secretary of the Vietnam National UNESCO Committee, said that these recognitions were the fruits of a focus on Viet Nam's part on forming a master plan and a detailed roadmap in developing documents for nominations by UNESCO.
However, Chau said, the number of nomination documents submitted by Viet Nam was still lower than those of other nations, as the country was not yet fully acquainted with all the possible titles in UNESCO's system.
In light of this, he called for stronger and more active involvement from localities and ethnic minority communities in devising documents that were more diverse in terms of the geographic areas they covered and the types of cultural and natural assets to be recognised.
Viet Nam has submitted to the UN agency four documents for nominations. The stone steles of doctoral graduates in the Le-Mac dynasties (1442-1779) at Ha Noi's Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) have been nominated as a Memory of the World; the stone mountains of Dong Van Plateau in Ha Giang Province as a World Geological Park; the Thang Long Royal Citadel as a world cultural heritage site; and the Saint Giong Festival as a part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. .