At the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on September 16, the hammering ceremony recognized the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba archipelago (belonging to Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city) as a heritage. world nature has been realized.
Specifically, the ritual was performed at 5:40 p.m. on September 16 (ie 9:39 p.m. on September 16, Vietnam time) in the capital Riyadh of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Participating in the 45th session, the Vietnamese delegation was led by Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien – Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) – as the delegation leader.
On the local side, there were Mr. Le Khac Nam – Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People’s Committee and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh – Vice Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee.
Lan Ha Bay in Cat Ba archipelago – Image: NGÔ TRẦN HẢI AN
Previously, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage twice in 1994 and 2000.
By 2013, the application to nominate the Cat Ba archipelago as a world natural heritage according to the criteria of biodiversity and ecosystem was sent to the World Heritage Center.
After the appraisal process, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) drafted a decision for the World Heritage Committee to approve at its 38th session in Qatar in 2014, which recommended: “National Members consider the possibility of proposing an extension to Ha Long Bay, according to criteria (vii) and (viii) and possibly criterion (x), to include the Cat Ba archipelago”.
Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba archipelago is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, because it contains areas of natural beauty including vegetation-covered limestone islands and sharp peaks of karst mountains. above sea level along with associated karst features such as domes and caves.
Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba archipelago officially became the first inter-province and city world heritage site in Vietnam – Image: TIẾN THẮNG
Recognition by UNESCO has made this area the first inter-provincial and city world heritage site in Vietnam and is a useful lesson in combining management, protection and promotion of heritage values. world product.
