From August 5 to 15, a team of experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, conducted a field assessment of the nomination dossier for the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex as a World Cultural Heritage. With careful preparation by the localities, the ICOMOS team highly appreciated Quang Ninh's efforts in zoning and protecting the monument.
On August 7 and 8, the ICOMOS expert team conducted a field assessment at 14 relic clusters and sites in the Yen Tu Relic and Landscape Complex to assess the integrity, authenticity; protection, management, conservation, restoration and promotion of the values of the nominated heritage. The relics, including natural and man-made ones, have a long history and demonstrate the rich values of the Yen Tu Relic and Landscape Complex - one of the central areas of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Relic and Landscape Complex, which Vietnam is submitting a dossier to UNESCO for recognition as a World Heritage Site.
On August 10, the ICOMOS expert team conducted a field assessment at the Bach Dang Historical Relic Site (Quang Yen Town). According to the nominated heritage dossier, the Yen Giang, Dong Van Muoi, and Dong Ma Ngua stake fields in the Bach Dang Historical Relic Site demonstrate the role and influence of the Tran Dynasty's ideology and the Buddhist spirit in Dai Viet's life. The relic is also a symbol of military art and the strength of national unity that helped the Tran Dynasty build an independent, peace-loving and natural-harmonious Dai Viet country.
The focus of the ICOMOS expert delegation's appraisal trip is to inspect and review the zoning and marking of zones 1 and 2 in all relic clusters and sites; conservation, restoration and embellishment projects carried out in recent years; reports, records, documents, and research projects on the relic site; reports on the results of diagrams and images of archaeological excavations at the relic sites; review the promulgation and implementation of management regulations as well as the relic site management plan; review the system of signs, introduction boards and instructions at the relic site...
At the two relic sites above, many issues of concern to the expert delegation were clarified by representatives of Uong Bi City, Quang Yen Town, leading experts and scientists in the country, such as: The authenticity of the relics; the work of zoning, marking, as well as the current status of preserving the original values of the relics; regulations and management plans for nominated heritages; stories about the historical and cultural values of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex; the relationship between the Bach Dang stake site and the Yen Tu relic and landscape complex, as well as with other heritages in the nomination dossier...
Mr. Ratish Nanda, ICOMOS expert, said: Field assessment is one of the mandatory procedures for UNESCO to consider and evaluate the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monument Complex to become a Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 47th Session held in 2025. We appreciate the efforts of local authorities in zoning and protecting the relics, as well as educating and raising awareness among people and tourists to effectively implement UNESCO's recommendations. At some relic sites, we often see many students coming to visit and study, which is also a very good way to spread the value of the relics to the younger generation. Through the field survey, we have a more comprehensive and clearer view of the value of the relic complex, as well as have more realistic assessments to contribute to the work of zoning and protecting the relics in the short term and in the future.
Immediately after the field assessment program in Quang Ninh, from August 12 to 14, the ICOMOS expert team continued to work at relics in Hai Duong and Bac Giang provinces.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Tran Tan Van, former Director of the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, the field assessment of the dossier is a mandatory procedure and in parallel with this procedure, there will also be a team of about 40-50 international experts to check, evaluate and review the dossier. Through the trip with ICOMOS experts, I appreciate the preparation work of Quang Ninh province as very thoughtful and thorough, from communication work, relic restoration, to building signs, regulations, internal rules, and environmental sanitation. I believe that, with the high evaluation of ICOMO experts, the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Scenic Landscape Complex will soon be recognized as a World Cultural Heritage, continuing to mark an important milestone, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Vietnam's cultural heritage values in the international arena.
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