In November 2025, at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Uzbekistan, member states agreed to adopt a draft resolution initiated by Viet Nam on launching an “International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development,” co-sponsored and supported by 71 countries.

The Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Ninh Binh Province held a ceremony on February 28 to announce the Prime Minister’s decision and receive the certificate recognising the Tam Chuc scenic and archaeological complex as a Special National Relic.

It is no coincidence that Viet Nam had as many as four names honored by UNESCO as World Heritage in 2025 alone. It is no coincidence that the S-shaped strip of land was named by the World Travel Awards 2025 for the sixth time as the “World’s Leading Heritage Destination” and for the third time retained the title of “Asia’s Leading Heritage Destination.”

Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh called for enhanced capacity building, experience sharing, stronger international cooperation and effective implementation of the recommendations related to Article 16 on preferential treatment for developing countries.

A “zero-fee” policy has been applied as a gesture of gratitude to the community and to help stimulate tourism after the Yen Tu Complex of Monuments and Landscapes was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Under the policy, visitors will be exempt from entrance fees for three years, from 2026 to the end of 2028.

The Vietnamese Embassy in France has hosted a ceremony marking the 96th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) (February 3, 1930–2026) and celebrating the success of the 14th National Party Congress, a landmark event shaping new strategic directions for the country’s development in the new era.

UNESCO highly welcomes the vision reflected in the Politburo’s Resolution 80-NQ/TW, stated UNESCO Representative to Viet Nam Jonathan Wallace Baker, stressing that by positioning culture as a core resource and a pillar for development, Viet Nam is clearly placing people, values, and identity at the heart of its long-term national strategy.

In the Government’s strategy for developing cultural industries, heritage is viewed not only as an object of preservation but also as a resource for growth. For the heritage city of Hue, the key challenge lies in how to enable heritage to step beyond exhibition spaces and participate directly in the creative value chain and the urban economy.

The People’s Committee of Ninh Binh Province organised an international scientific conference titled “Defining the proposed boundaries of the nomination area and identifying criteria for Outstanding Universal Value in line with the orientation for preparing the dossier for UNESCO recognition of the Tam Chuc Complex and the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve as a World Heritage Site”, on January 14.

According to information from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Government Office has issued a document to the minister as well as the chairpersons of the People’s Committees of Ha Noi, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Hai Phong, conveying the directive of Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh on the preparation of scientific dossiers for “Pho” (Vietnamese noodle soup) and “Water Puppetry” to be proposed for inscription on UNESCO’s Lists.

From the age of six, Nguyen Thi Them accompanied her mother to singing sessions, so quan ho singing has become an indispensable part of the life of this artisan who was born in Bac Ninh Province in 1959. She is regarded as a nucleus in preserving and safeguarding many ancient and complex quan ho melodies and has successfully passed them on to successive younger generations.

On December 9, 2025, in India, the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO adopted a decision inscribing Dong Ho folk painting craft on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The Southeast Asian Gong Harmony Night 2025 was held on December 20 evening at Lam Vien Square in Xuan Huong-Da Lat ward, Lam Dong province, drawing thousands of local residents and visitors to a vibrant celebration of regional cultural heritage.

Viet Nam currently has 37 heritages inscribed by UNESCO, among which the craft of Dong Ho folk painting is the 17th intangible cultural heritage.

The Dong Ho folk painting craft was included in UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Need of Urgent Safeguarding at the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of ICH on December 9 in New Delhi, India, according to the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Ha Noi is among the 72 cities from 46 countries named members of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities on December 4.

When the Tugging Ritual and Tug-of-War Game was inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, many people did not understand how tug-of-war could become a heritage. But today, communities have developed a different perspective. The number of practitioners has increased, and new tug-of-war heritages have been identified.

The initiative highlights UNESCO’s pioneering role in making culture an independent pillar contributing to sustainable development at both national and global levels — a motivation to maintain peace, promote creative industries, and protect cultural diversity and inclusive economic growth, and enhance social cohesion.

A draft resolution recommending the launch of an “International Decade on Culture for Sustainable Development” was unanimously adopted at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on November 8.

As of now, Viet Nam has four out of more than 200 global geoparks worldwide recognised by UNESCO.