Towards 50 Years of Vietnam - UNESCO Relations: Affirming the role of a reliable partner
WVR - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board.
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| The Vietnamese delegation attending the 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board. |
From April 8-23 in Paris (France), the 224th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Board took place with the participation of 58 member countries and over 100 observer countries. This is the first session of the new leadership and Executive Board of UNESCO for the 2025-2029 term, aimed at implementing important decisions on reform orientation and strengthening UNESCO cooperation in the coming time.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, led the Vietnamese delegation to the session. Also attending were Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee Le Van Phuoc, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation to UNESCO, Secretary-General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and leaders of departments and sectors of Hanoi, An Giang, and the Secretariat of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO.
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| The Vietnamese delegation attending the session. |
Speaking at the session, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Ngo Le Van emphasized that in a world facing difficult times with numerous intertwined challenges, multilateralism, international cooperation, and UNESCO play a crucial role in promoting dialogue and cooperation for peace and sustainable development. Vietnam supports the vision and approach of “UNESCO for People”, placing people at the center of the Organization; all policies and programs need to meet the practical needs of the people, especially vulnerable groups.
The head of the Vietnamese delegation affirmed support for the UNESCO80 Reform Roadmap, focusing on core missions, priority areas, interdisciplinary approaches, the special status of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and UNESCO representative offices, enhancing resource diversification and global partnerships to further strengthen the role and effectiveness of the Organization.
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| Meeting with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El Enany and Assistant Director-General for Education Qun Chen. |
Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van affirmed that with the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in early 2026, Vietnam is entering a new era of national development, aiming to become a high-income developed country by the mid-21st century, where growth is only meaningful when it is humane, equitable, and sustainable, leaving no one behind and not compromising the future of future generations.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam - UNESCO partnership this year, Vietnam is committed to being not only an active member of UNESCO but also a partner in creating a practical and effective future for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world.
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| Meeting with UNESCO Deputy Director-General Åsa Regné. |
On this occasion, the Vietnamese delegation held meetings with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, Deputy Director-General Åsa Regnér, Executive Board Chairman Nasser Al Hinzab, General Conference President Khondker M. Talha, Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Priority Africa cum Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lida Brito, Assistant Director-General for Culture cum Director of the World Heritage Centre Lazare Assomo, ICOMOS Director-General Celine Nogues-Weber, and President of the 48th World Heritage Committee Session Lee Byong Hyun to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, seek support for Vietnam's important dossiers and initiatives, and promote a series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - UNESCO relations.
During the meetings, UNESCO leaders and delegation heads from various countries were impressed by Vietnam's dynamic development, as well as the strategic vision and major policies Vietnam has recently implemented, emphasizing that Vietnam is a model of cooperation with UNESCO, exemplifying the balance between preserving and promoting heritage values linked to socio-economic development, sustainable tourism, and the livelihoods of the people. This is a solid foundation for Vietnam to continue making responsible contributions to global efforts in preserving and spreading the values of human culture.
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| Meeting with Assistant Director-General for Culture cum Director of the World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo. |
Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Ngo Le Van expressed his desire for the UNESCO leadership and secretariat to continue to pay attention, provide advice, and support the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development initiative, as well as Vietnam's dossiers such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel dossier linked to the restoration of Kinh Thien Palace and the Kinh Thien Main Palace Space, world heritage dossiers with the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site, Con Moong Cave, the Van Long-Kim Bang-Tam Chuc White Vooc Cultural-Ecological Landscape, Cu Chi, Co Loa, intangible cultural heritage dossiers of Mo Muong, Cheo, Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts, and the Phong Nha - Ke Bang Biosphere Reserve dossier. UNESCO and ICOMOS leaders committed to supporting Vietnam in building and promoting the titles and heritage dossiers requested by the Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO.
On this occasion, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van also invited the UNESCO Director-General to visit Vietnam to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of Vietnam - UNESCO relations and sign the Vietnam - UNESCO Cooperation Memorandum for the 2026-2030 period; at the same time, conveyed invitations from localities to the UNESCO leadership to attend a number of international conferences hosted by Vietnam, such as the Heritage Authenticity Conference (Hanoi, 2026), the ASEAN 4 Global Learning Cities Conference, and the Summary Conference of the Marine and Island Biosphere Reserve Network in Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City, November 2026). The UNESCO leadership appreciated Vietnam's plan to host many meaningful activities, thanked for the invitation, and will confirm participation soon.
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| Meeting with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for External Science Lydia Brito. |
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| Laying a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh statue. |
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| Meeting with the President of the 48th World Heritage Committee Session Lee Byong Hyun. |
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| Meeting with the Head of the UNESCO Convention Secretariat for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage Fumiko Ohinata. |
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| Meeting with Executive Board Chairman Nasser Bin Hamad Al Hinzab. |
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| Meeting with ICOMOS Director-General Céline Noguès-Weber. |
| The 224th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) took place from April 8-23, 2026, with an agenda covering all areas of education, culture, science, personnel, management, and external relations. Earlier, on April 15, the UNESCO Executive Board approved the extension of the status of Category II Centers under UNESCO's auspices for an additional 8 years for the International Center for Research and Training in Mathematics (ICRTM) and the International Center for Physics (ICP), under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). This is evidence of Vietnam's strong governance capacity and commitment to the development of basic science, thereby not only serving national interests but also elevating Vietnam to become a knowledge hub in the global scientific network. |
