Vietnam attends 192nd Session of UNESCO Executive Board
(VOV) - Vietnam continues to support reform efforts by Irina Bokova, General Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to help the organisation through a difficult time and gradually improve its performance efficiency.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son affirmed this at the 192nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, France on September 30.
Son said Vietnam appreciates UNESCO’s support for “Education for All” (EFA) and “Education for Sustainable Development” (ESD) goals.
Vietnam has obtained significant achievements in implementing EFA and ESD goals and is willing to share experience in this field with international friends, Son said.
An “education initiative for sustainable development” project funded by Samsung and implemented by UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Training has paid off well, contributing to raising students and pupils’ awareness of environment protection.
Son emphasised that UNESCO’s recognition of Vietnam’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage has helped raise public awareness of the need to preserve and promote such values.
As part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Convention 2003), Vietnam held the Quang Nam Heritage Festival in June 2013 with the participation of art troupes from ASEAN countries, showing the country’s determination to implement and bring the convention to every locality, he noted.
Son furhter said the first Vietnam-ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival will be held in Lam Dong this December to promote the tangible and intangible heritage values of ASEAN countries.
Vietnam fully appreciates UNESCO’s programs and initiatives, such as The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, Memory of the World and the Global Network of National Geoparks, he added.
Before the session, Son was received by UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova who spoke highly of Vietnam’s active participation in UNESCO activities in recent years.
Vietnam deserves to be one of pillars in ASEAN, Bokova said. She expressed her hope that the country will continue to promote its role in preserving and promoting the natural, tangible and intangible heritage values.