Hanoi (VNA) - The UNESCO Officein Hanoi and Vietnam Cultural Heritage Conservation Support Fund has held around-table meeting to discuss a new approach to study Vietnam’sheritage.

The January 16 meeting marked the beginning of aseries of regular discussions on heritage-regulated issues, aimed at satisfyingthe demand for exchanging information between specialists and mass media. Itwas attended by UNESCO representatives in Vietnam, representatives of themanagement boards of Vietnam’s world heritage sites as well as heritagespecialists.

A report generalising the studies conductedby Lucerne University (Switzerland), Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences andUNESCO Office in Hanoi, distributed at the discussion, points out the necessityto amend and supplement the framework of Vietnam’s laws to match the policy onthe integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes ofthe World Heritage Convention, which has been adopted by UNESCO.

According to Peter Larsen, who holds a PhDfrom Lucerne University, one of the important sustainable development objectivesis protecting the basic needs of local communities within the heritage areas,particularly ensuring their participation and benefits.

“Vietnam’s world heritage has beenrecognised, but on the contrary, the local heritage, which is the traditionalcustoms of the ethnic people, is under threat,” Larsen said, adding it wasnecessary to strike a balance between the rights of businesses who exploittourism within the heritage area and the authorities of the local people withintheir land.

Nghiem Hoa,a cultural specialist andresearcher from UNESCO, agreed with Larsen and emphasised the need of commongoals to balance the benefits of both sides.

“Ideas to promote the local identitiesshould be encouraged to motivate the local community to actively participate inthe introduction of any regulations that are related to spiritual and materialbenefits from the heritage,” she said.

Associate professor Dang Van Bai, vicechairman of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, suggested conducting asurvey to collect ideas from the communities to see which articles of the lawthey wanted to amend, which would also serve as a new approach to study Vietnam’sheritage. Based on the results of the survey, the communities’ opinion would beproposed to the administrators, he said.

The meeting also introduced the recentlyreleased book, World Heritage and Human Rights: Lessons from the Asia-Pacificand Global Arena, edited by Peter Larsen. It includes several studies of Vietnam’sworld heritage sites.

Vietnam has eight world heritage sitesrecognised by UNESCO. These include Hue Monument Complex, Ha Long Bay, Hoi AnAncient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Thang Long Imperial Citadel,Ho Citadel and Trang An Landscape Complex. - VNA