Vietnam will run for a post of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) - a subsidiary of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), a Vietnamese official has said.
Deputy Director of the Heritage and Culture Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Quoc Hung made the statement at the opening ceremony of the WHC’s 37th session in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on June 16.
Vietnam’s participation in the event provides an opportunity for the country to exchange experience and take advantage of international assistance in preserving UNESCO-recognised heritages as well as in preparing dossiers for new heritages, he noted.
According to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, it is a great honour of Cambodia as it is the fourth Asian country to host a WHC session.
He said the event offers his country a chance to introduce its abundant culture and civilisation to international friends, adding that it will contribute to promoting Cambodia’s development, especially in culture and tourism.
He affirmed that the country will work together with other nations to preserve cultural and natural heritages recognised by UNESCO.
UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova also delivered a speech at the ceremony, in which she underlined the important role of the international community in preserving world heritage sites.
The WHC session has attracted the participation of 1,300 delegates from more than 120 countries over the world.
During the event, the Committee will consider inscribing 31 new sites into UNESCO's World Heritage list.
It will also review the conservation state of sites included on the World Heritage List and decide which properties need to be placed in the World Heritage in Danger List. In addition, it will consider international assistance requests managed by the World Heritage Fund.
The closing ceremony will take place in the temple complex of Angkor Thom in Siem Reap province.