Hanoi (VNA) – Director General of the UnitedNations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) AudreyAzoulay hailed Vietnamese authorities for fully tapping potential of UNESCOcultural conventions, in her speech delivered at a ceremony held in the northernprovince of Ninh Binh on September 6.

The ceremony, co-organised by the Ministry of Culture,Sports and Tourism (MCST), the provincial People’s Committee, and the VietnamNational Commission for UNESCO, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the ConventionConcerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

In her remarks, Azoulay noted that in the past five years alone, UNESCO has given support toVietnam's priority in completing its legal framework on heritage as well as inventoryof intangible heritages.

She pointed out that Vietnam's culturalheritages have been honored in recent years, and this is a testament to the importancethat both UNESCO and Vietnam recognise in promoting their value.

Acknowledging the significance of the convention and highlighting Vietnam’s related responsible and active implementation, Minister ofCulture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung informed participants that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s world heritage sites served over 19 million visitors in2019, with related tourism services reeling in 1.8 trillion VND (76.43 million USD).

This is a lively proof of the promotion of the value of heritage,affirming the contributions of world heritages to Vietnam’s socio-economic growth, improving livelihoods for local communities, protecting the environment, and consolidatingpeace and security towards sustainable development for Vietnam and the world, he stressed.

Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam NationalCommission for UNESCO Ha Kim Ngoc said during 35 years of Vietnam’s participationin the convention, the commission has made tremendous efforts to promote capacity building,international cooperation and education for heritage preservation.

Desiring to make more contributions, Vietnam is runningfor a seat in the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term and hopesto receive support from other member states of the convention, Ngoc said.

The convention, adopted by UNESCO at its 17th session inParis on November 16, 1972, is the only combining cultural and natural heritageprotection. As many as 194 states have become members of this convention.

Since Vietnam ratified the deal on October 19, 1987, it hashad eight cultural, natural, and mixed heritages inscribed in the worldheritage list. The sites have greatly contributed to local socio-economicdevelopment and helped popularise the country’s images to international friends.

According to the MCST, UNESCO has encouraged member statesto mark the convention’s 50th anniversary ahead of the global celebration inFlorence, Italy, this November./.