Ha Long celebrates 20 years of World Heritage
13:56, 2014/11/03
An art show in Ha Long City has gathered more than 300 amateur and professional artists born in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The show took place alongside a ceremony on Saturday marking the 20th anniversary of Ha Long Bay's UNESCO World Natural Heritage title.
Nguyen Thien Nhan, chairman of the Viet Nam Fatherland, congratulated local leaders and people. He also expressed hope that the locality would continue to preserve the area's natural heritage while seeking to draw tourists.
In 1994, Ha Long Bay was listed in the UN cultural agency's list of World Natural Heritage sites, an important turning point in the conservation process. Since then, the bay's natural value has been preserved and many unique tourism products have been introduced.
Activities marking the occasion included a photo and souvenir exhibition on the Bay and several workshops on heritage preservation.
Preserving values
Recent conservation projects had "preserved the bay's special and unique value" while also developing tourism and services, "contributing to the locality's economic growth", vice chairwoman of the provincial People's Committee Vu Thi Thu Thuy told participants at a workshop.
Head of the UNESCO office in Viet Nam Katherine Muller-Marine appreciated the efforts made by local managing agencies in conservation tasks. She noted their sharp decisions in dealing with issues outside the heritage site like building new roads, the growth of floating villages and unsustainable fisheries.
However, President of the National Cultural Heritage Council Luu Tran Tieu noted that despite its socio-economic benefits, tourism also negatively affected the environment, landscapes and ecosystem in the region. He emphasised the need for sustainable tourism management plans, such as making tourist forecasts and studying tourism's impacts on the site as well as its visitor capacity.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Viet Cuong from the Cultural Heritage Department suggested Quang Ninh continue implementing the 2010-20 fisheries development and protection master plan, which aims to relocate floating fishing villages in the Bay and rearrange aquaculture farms.
The province should also try to attract more locals to take part in conservation work and strengthen international co-operation in this field, he added.
On December 17, 1994, UNESCO designated the Bay a World Heritage site of globally outstanding value in terms of natural landscape. Official recognition was extended in 2000, and one year later, Ha Long Bay outranked 261 other landscapes around the globe to become one of the seven new natural wonders of the world.
Since then Ha Long Bay has welcomed nearly 25 million visitors, turning Quang Ninh into a tourism magnet.
Located 165km from Ha Noi, Ha Long Bay covers an area of 43,400ha including over 1,600 islands and islets, most of which are uninhabitated. UNESCO describes the bay as a "spectacular seascape of limestone pillars" and an "ideal model of a mature karst landscape developed during a warm and wet tropical climate".
15:25, 2025/01/17
Behold the unique collection of snake lacquer statues
Step into Vietnamese tradition and craftsmanship with the enchanting “Thach Ong Xa” collection of lacquered statues in celebration of the Year of the Snake, 2025.
21:28, 2025/01/13
Young voices celebrate and preserve Hanoi’s cultural heritage
The "Voice of Heritage" finale celebrated Hanoi's cultural soul as 14 student teams passionately brought the city's rich history to life.
16:23, 2025/01/06
A glimpse of the 24K gold Lunar New Year 2025 Snake Mascot
As the Year of the Snake draws near in 2025, this revered creature takes on a special significance, symbolizing prosperity, smooth transitions and success for the coming year.
22:29, 2025/01/01
Hanoi celebrates New Year 2025 with art exhibitions
Art exhibitions are a great way to hang out during Hanoi's New Year celebrations.
11:38, 2024/12/31
Countdown events and fireworks to welcome New Year 2025 in Hanoi
With the New Year just around the corner, let The Hanoi Times take you on a tour of the most exciting celebrations taking place in Hanoi!
21:56, 2024/12/29
"Pho Ganh" vendor sculpture represents Hanoi's culinary street
A bronze statue of a street vendor has been erected on Hanoi's food street as a way to honor pho, a unique and popular specialty in the capital.