Campaign to inscribe Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac on the World Heritage List
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will work together with localities to manage and enhance the value of the World Heritage Site: Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscapes Complex.
On May 16 in Hanoi, the Steering Committee for preparing the dossier for the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscapes Complex held a closing conference to review the preparation of the scientific dossier submitted to UNESCO to recognize the Complex as a World Heritage Site.
For the first time, Vietnam prepared a heritage dossier covering three provinces, with 214 heritage points across six specially designated national historical sites. The greatest difficulty lay in the nature of the heritage itself. After more than 700 years since the Tran era, many structures in the complex remain only as foundations, with archaeological traces buried underground, and numerous tangible values have been lost over time.
After sustained efforts and the involvement of leaders of central and local agencies, and the participation of hundreds of domestic and international experts and scholars over many years, the dossier was officially submitted to UNESCO on January 26, 2024. On July 12, 2025 (Vietnam time), at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO), the Committee Chair formally struck the gavel to inscribe the Complex of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac in Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong on the World Heritage List.
In his closing remarks, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, Head of the Steering Committee for preparing the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac dossier, stressed that while inscription is a great honor it also imposes heavy responsibilities for management, conservation and promotion of the World Heritage values.
The Steering Committee requested that localities and relevant agencies continue to fully implement UNESCO and ICOMOS recommendations; urgently finalize a World Heritage management plan; establish effective interprovincial coordination mechanisms; and intensify in-depth research into the property’s Outstanding Universal Values, especially the system of intangible cultural heritage linked to Truc Lam Buddhism and the central role of communities in safeguarding and protecting the heritage.
Hai Phong News