Cultural heritage management has become one of the major challenges as heritage is not only historical value but also an important cultural and economic resource. During the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, delegates contributed many profound opinions to the Draft Law on Cultural Heritage (amended), aiming towards a more effective and practical management system.
One of the important issues raised by delegate Duong Van Phuoc, National Assembly Delegation of Quang Nam Province, is the need to develop a specific management mechanism for tangible cultural heritage, especially for natural and world cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO. These heritages must comply with the provisions of the Draft Law and meet UNESCO criteria. The delegate gave the example of Hoi An, which is considered a "living museum" with thousands of people living in the relic area. Hoi An must simultaneously comply with the Law on Cultural Heritage and be subject to the regulation of many other laws, thereby creating an urgent need for a separate management mechanism to ensure sustainability.
Regulations on construction and renovation of houses in relic areas are also a point of concern. According to current regulations, construction works in relic protection areas must comply with planning and conservation standards. However, delegate Duong Van Phuoc pointed out that this regulation still has many shortcomings when applied to individual houses of the people. Requiring the establishment of projects for each case not only increases costs and time but also risks causing negative reactions from the people. The delegate suggested that there should be more specific regulations to create favorable conditions for people while still ensuring the preservation of heritage.
Another controversial issue is the regulation prohibiting the use of copies of national relics, antiquities, and treasures for profit. Delegate Nguyen Hai Dung, from the National Assembly delegation of Nam Dinh province, proposed that this regulation should be reconsidered. He argued that the use of copies for display and charging fees is consistent with the viewpoint of exploiting resources for economic development, while also helping museums and galleries perform their roles well. If they are not allowed to display copies, these organizations risk losing the opportunity to attract tourists, leading to difficulties in maintaining operations and ensuring revenue.
Delegate Trinh Lam Sinh, National Assembly Delegation of An Giang Province, proposed to add specific guidelines immediately after the law is passed to ensure effective implementation. Areas such as conditions for establishing museums, spending norms in conservation, or public-private partnership mechanisms in heritage protection still lack clear regulations. This not only causes difficulties for localities but also limits the participation of private enterprises in the conservation of intangible cultural heritage.
In addition, funding for conservation is still limited, creating a conflict between conservation needs and tourism development. Establishing policies to encourage businesses to participate in the conservation process will be a necessary solution to balance economic and cultural benefits.
The contributions at this session of the National Assembly aim to improve the legal framework and provide practical solutions to maximize the potential of cultural heritage. Adjusting and supplementing appropriate regulations is expected to improve management efficiency, while promoting sustainable development, helping cultural heritage become an important foundation in the journey to build a prosperous nation.
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