From November 10, world cultural and natural heritage sites in Vietnam will be protected like class-I national historical-cultural sites and tourist attraction sites in accordance with the Law on Cultural Heritages.
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| Halong Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its universal values of landscape, geology and geomorphology, respectively in 1994 and 2000__Photo: cinet.vn |
Under Government Decree No. 109 dated September 21, on protection and management of world cultural and natural heritages in Vietnam (world heritages for short), buffer zones of world heritage sites will enjoy protection like class-II historical-cultural sites and tourist attraction sites of Vietnam.
The Prime Minister will consider and decide on making master plans on world heritages in accordance with the laws on planning and cultural heritages.
For a world heritage having both its heritage site and buffer zone located in the same part or whole area of a national tourist site, special-use forest or nature or sea conservation park, only one master plan incorporating contents of protection of the historical-cultural relic and tourist attraction site and protection of tourism and forest resources, biological diversity, aquaculture resources, geological resources and community rights and obligations is required to be made.
In the new regulation, the Government also defines the responsibilities of world heritage management and exploitation organizations. Specifically, they are responsible of making short-, medium- and long-term plans on protection and management of world heritages and organizing the implementation of such plans once approved.
They must also carry out regular inspection of conservation of world heritages, prevent acts of infringing upon world heritages and promptly report to competent agencies when world heritages are in danger.
Responsibilities of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam National Cultural Heritage Council and other ministries, ministerial-level agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees are also defined in the regulation.- (VLLF)
