Knowing that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's membership in UNESCO (1976–2026), how does the Deputy Minister assess the relationship between Vietnam and UNESCO over these 50 years?
Looking back over 50 years, it can be said that Vietnam has transformed from a member supported by UNESCO into an active partner contributing and initiating. The Vietnam-UNESCO relationship is considered by UNESCO and its member states as one of the most successful, dynamic, substantive, and effective models of cooperation. This is demonstrated through four points.
Firstly, its position has been increasingly enhanced. Vietnam has actively and responsibly assumed many positions in key UNESCO mechanisms such as the General Assembly, the Executive Board, the World Heritage Committee, the Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Secondly, Vietnam has shifted from participation to initiation. The initiative, the “International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development,” proposed by Vietnam, was adopted by the 43rd UNESCO General Assembly (November 2025) with the support of 72 countries. On September 4, 2026, the initiative was further adopted by the United Nations General Assembly with 103 co-sponsors, designating the period 2027–2036 as the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development. This marks the first time in nearly 40 years that the international community has dedicated a decade specifically to culture, demonstrating that Vietnam is not only an active member but also capable of proposing ideas and building consensus at a global level.
Thirdly, political trust is deepening. General Secretary To Lam's visit to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in October 2024 marked the first time the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam visited UNESCO, conveying a strong message about Vietnam's commitment to multilateralism and cultural dialogue. Former UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, during her second official visit to Vietnam (June 2025), affirmed that Vietnam is one of UNESCO's most active members and a "success story" in preserving and promoting heritage values. UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany is also expected to pay an official visit to Vietnam in early December this year.
Fourth, the results of the cooperation are very concrete. By September 2026, Vietnam will have 79 UNESCO-recognized heritage sites and titles, present in all 34 provinces and cities. In 2025 alone, Vietnam added 7 more titles, the highest number in many years. These titles are not only a source of national pride but also a driving force for sustainable development in many localities, contributing to enriching the common heritage of humanity.
Could the Deputy Minister please outline the main directions for Vietnam-UNESCO relations in the upcoming period?
Entering the next half-century, Vietnam focused on four main directions.
Firstly, Vietnam will play a pivotal role in implementing the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development 2027–2036. As the initiating country, Vietnam will closely coordinate with UNESCO – the lead agency for the Decade – along with the core group and partners to put the Resolution into practice; focusing on integrating culture into development policies, promoting cultural industries, the creative economy , and heritage education linked to sustainable livelihoods.
Secondly, actively campaigning, running for, and promoting membership in key UNESCO mechanisms will enhance the country's image and standing, while also protecting national interests.
Thirdly, we will accompany and support localities and ministries in building, advocating for, and protecting UNESCO designation dossiers. The Vietnam National UNESCO Committee is currently supporting 23 localities in promoting 48 dossiers of various types. The goal is not only to gain more designations, but also to transform heritage into a resource for socio-economic development and a soft power for the nation.
Fourth, Vietnam should actively and proactively propose initiatives and host substantive, internationally significant UNESCO activities. From September 28 to October 1, 2026, Vietnam successfully collaborated with UNESCO to organize the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity, with the participation of 250 domestic and international delegates, resulting in the adoption of the Hanoi Document. This was the first time the region's voice, knowledge, and practices on authenticity were summarized in a single document, impacting the entire implementation cycle of the World Heritage Convention.
From now until the end of the year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam National UNESCO Committee will coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities to organize the International Conference on the ASEAN+4 Global Learning Cities Network (November 2026), the Conference summarizing the Network of Marine and Island Biosphere Reserves (November 2026); and welcome UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany on an official visit to Vietnam and sign the Vietnam-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement for the period 2026–2030 (December 2026).
If the past 50 years have been a journey of Vietnam's integration and contribution, then with the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development, Vietnam enters a new phase playing a co-creation role in shaping the global cultural agenda.
Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Minister!
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/viet-nam-unesco-la-mo-hinh-hop-tac-thanh-cong-nang-dong-thuc-chat-va-hieu-qua-post1391010.html
