Vietnam shapes global heritage standards through UNESCO dialogue

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van, who chairs the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, highlighted the significance of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity, which concluded with substantial policy agreements.

The high-level policy dialogue brought together world leaders and heritage experts from across the region to address core, long-term issues under the World Heritage Convention. Le Van described the gathering as the region's leading forum for heritage policy discussions, reflecting Asia-Pacific nations' commitment to preserving cultural and natural assets.

The dialogue yielded four major outcomes that are expected to guide heritage conservation efforts across the region. These results demonstrate Vietnam's capacity to host and facilitate international consensus-building on preservation standards that will shape global heritage protection practices.

Vietnam's role as dialogue host strengthens its position as a leader in cultural heritage stewardship within Asia-Pacific. The outcomes also reflect broader cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO, with the international organization expressing readiness to support Vietnam's implementation of the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development initiative, cementing the partnership for years ahead.