With 121 of the 171 valid votes, Vietnam secured its position as the second-ranked among the elected states from five regions, according to the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The election took place during the 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention) in Paris.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc, who also serves as the Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, stated that this is Vietnam’s second time being elected to the most important executive body for culture at UNESCO.
The significant number of votes received reflects Vietnam’s international prestige, the international community’s trust in and support for Vietnam’s contributions and leadership capabilities at global multilateral institutions, as well as the recognition of Vietnam’s practical efforts in UNESCO and the preservation and promotion of heritage values in Vietnam and around the world, he added.
The official also noted that this achievement is a result of the effective implementation of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy until 2030 and widespread campaigning among international partners in Hanoi, Paris, and other capital cities through their representative agencies.
Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO, emphasized that as a member of the World Heritage Committee for 2023 – 2027, Vietnam will have favorable conditions to make further contributions to the perfection and implementation of the goals and priorities of the World Heritage Convention. Vietnam will also share experiences in the harmonization of world heritage preservation and development.
As part of the committee consisting of 20 other member states, Vietnam will oversee the implementation of the convention, protect and preserve the values of 1,199 world heritage elements worldwide, and consider the recognition of new ones. This is aimed at upholding, promoting, and passing down historical and cultural values to future generations, as well as contributing to sustainable development globally, the diplomat emphasized.
The World Heritage Convention has the largest membership within UNESCO, consisting of 194 countries. Therefore, candidates for the World Heritage Committee need to compete strongly to be elected as one of the 21 members.
