Assessing the possibility of nominating Hang Con Moong to the world heritage list

Based on authenticity, integrity, and outstanding global values, the majority of opinions agree that Con Moong Cave and its vicinity are eligible to build a nomination dossier for recognition as a World Heritage Site.

Overview of the workshop.

On the morning of April 8, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Institute of Archaeology, the Vietnam Archaeological Association and related units organized a scientific workshop to evaluate the possibility of nomination and determine criteria for building a heritage dossier to nominate UNESCO for inclusion in the list of world heritage sites of Con Moong cave archaeological site, Thach Thanh district.

Delegates attending the workshop.

Comrade Dau Thanh Tung, Provincial Party Committee member, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and delegates attended the workshop.

Attending the workshop were Comrade Dau Thanh Tung, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of the National Cultural Heritage Council, Institute of Archaeology, Vietnam Archaeological Association, Department of Cultural Diplomacy (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Archaeology Magazine; leaders of units under ministries, departments, offices, and relevant localities; departments, branches, and localities in the province; central and local universities, researchers, and scientists.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Pham Nguyen Hong delivered the opening speech at the workshop.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Pham Nguyen Hong affirmed that Con Moong Cave is a special archaeological site. Since its first excavation in 1976, it has been shown that this is a unique prehistoric archaeological site in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, containing the evolution of prehistoric cultures, from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age.

With these outstanding values, in 2007 the relic was ranked as a National Monument. In 2008, the Con Moong Cave relic was surveyed in the field, preparing documents to build a World Cultural Heritage Profile. In October 2008, a scientific conference on the World Cultural Heritage of Con Moong Cave was held in Thanh Hoa.

During the excavation and research of Con Moong Cave and related relics from 2010 to 2014 within the framework of the Vietnam - Russia scientific cooperation project, a large amount of new and extremely important documents were collected in the understanding of prehistory in Vietnam and the region. Therefore, in 2015, Con Moong Cave and related relics were ranked as a special national relic by the Prime Minister and the Plan for conservation, restoration and promotion of the value of archaeological relics was approved.

Delegates attending the conference.

After half a century of discovery and research, Con Moong Cave and related relics continue to be selected for inclusion in the roadmap for building a World Heritage Profile. This is an honor, pride, and also a great responsibility of the Thanh Hoa ethnic people towards their ancestors.

The scientific workshop to evaluate the possibility of nomination and determine criteria for building a heritage dossier to nominate UNESCO for inclusion in the list of world heritage sites of Con Moong cave archaeological site, Thach Thanh district, attracted the attention of many scientists, researchers, universities and research centers.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Khac Su, Vietnam Archaeological Association, spoke at the conference.

Researchers and scientists speak at the conference.

At the workshop, scientists discussed and evaluated the archaeological status of Con Moong Cave and its vicinity with the possibility of nominating Con Moong Cave as a World Heritage Site; determined the outstanding global value and criteria for nominating Con Moong Cave and its vicinity as a World Heritage Site; planned, preserved and promoted the heritage. Opinions analyzed in depth the evolution of relics, artifacts, burial rituals, fauna, human races, sedimentary structures; the results of the excavation and research of some relics directly related to Con Moong Cave...

At the same time, propose solutions to protect relics and exploit the potential and strengths of Con Moong cave and its vicinity in association with tourism development.

President of Vietnam Archaeological Association Tong Trung Tin spoke at the conference.

After listening to the assessments of researchers, scientists, delegates and related documents, the Workshop agreed that Con Moong Cave and its vicinity are eligible to build a nomination dossier to be honored as a World Heritage Site. Based on authenticity, integrity, outstanding global values... the majority of opinions agreed that Con Moong Cave and its vicinity can meet 3 criteria (out of 10 criteria of UNESCO) of global prominence: Criterion 3 (on cultural traditions or civilizations); Criterion 5 (on traditional types of residence) and Criterion 10 (containing important natural habitats and significance for in situ conservation of biodiversity).

Delegates attending the conference.

The Organizing Committee and scientists recommended that the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province quickly research and develop a dossier for the Con Moong Cave Relic Site to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Focus on researching and selecting criteria to determine the outstanding global value of the World Heritage Site, which Con Moong Cave and its vicinity can/have/will meet. Publish the book "Con Moong Cave Heritage Site - authenticity, integrity and outstanding global value".

At the same time, promptly invite the World Heritage Center and UNESCO advisory bodies to send experts to support surveys and assessments. Pay attention to the planning, conservation, restoration, and tourism exploitation of the Con Moong Cave Relic Site and related relics. Closely coordinate with agencies and units to implement the procedures for building world heritage dossiers...

Thuy Linh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/danh-gia-kha-nang-de-cu-hang-con-moong-vao-danh-muc-di-san-the-gioi/211120.htm