Preserving and promoting heritage values ​​in the context of Covid-19: from theory to practice.

Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, on behalf of the School's Board of Directors, welcomed and presented a commemorative gift to Mr. Yamada Takio (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam).

The workshop was attended by Mr. Yamada Takio (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam), Mr. Ando Toshiki (Director of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam), Professor Bando Mariko (Chairperson of the Board of Showa Women's University), Professor Kohara Natsuko (President of Showa Women's University), Professor Tomoda Hiromichi (Director of the Center for International Cultural Studies, Showa Women's University), Professor Fukuakawa Yuichi (Chairperson of the Japan Association for the Preservation of Old Towns), Ms. Trinh Thuc Thanh Thuy (Head of the Citizen Participation Promotion Committee, JICA Vietnam Office), along with many Japanese scientists and conservation experts who presented papers and participated in discussions online.

Attending the workshop, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh (Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage). On behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities were Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan (Rector), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong (Vice Rector), and faculty and staff from various departments and faculties: Oriental Studies, International Studies, Tourism Studies, and History, who presented papers and participated in discussions. In addition, the workshop was also attended by many experts, researchers, and cultural managers from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tien Giang province, the Hoi An Cultural Heritage Conservation Management Center, the Duong Lam Ancient Village Relic Management Board, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, etc.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Rector Hoang Anh Tuan emphasized: “The relationship between Vietnam and Japan is a strategic one with a very long history, in which cultural cooperation is highly valued by the leaders of both countries and has achieved many important accomplishments in recent years. Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact, posing severe challenges to all countries worldwide, including the field of heritage preservation and promotion. Cultural heritage, if not properly preserved, can completely disappear. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for the cooperation and assistance of the Japanese Embassy, ​​the Japan Foundation, Showa Women's University, and many professors and scientists from Japan in organizing this meaningful conference for the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. The conference is expected to propose many solutions to help improve the effectiveness of heritage preservation and promotion in the new context.”

Professor Hoang Anh Tuan (Rector) delivered the opening speech.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam, Yamada Takio, also particularly emphasized the extremely long historical relationship between Vietnam and Japan: From the 16th and 17th centuries, Japanese trading ships came to Vietnam to trade and build many neighborhoods. In 2023, both Vietnam and Japan will organize a series of events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of friendly relations between Vietnam and Japan; this seminar is one of the very important events leading up to that anniversary and also an opportunity for exchange, cooperation, and sharing of experiences between experts from both countries on a very urgent issue: preserving and promoting the value of heritage in adaptation to the new situation after COVID-19. Mr. Yamada Takio affirmed: “The cultural cooperation between Vietnam and Japan ‘holds unlimited potential’ and is facing opportunities for leaps and bounds. Workshops like this are prime examples, contributing to the strong development of the Vietnam-Japan relationship in the present and future.”

Mr. Yamada Takio delivered a welcoming speech.

Following the opening session, the workshop proceeded in subcommittees:

Subcommittee 1: Heritage Preservation Issues in the Covid-19 Era: A Perspective from the Hoi An Bridge Pagoda Conservation and Restoration Project

Subcommittee 2: Regional Innovation Towards the Preservation and Promotion of Heritage Values

Subcommittee 3: The current state of cultural heritage in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The workshop heard presentations from experts and scientists from Vietnam and Japan, who presented eight reports reflecting the current state of typical cultural heritage sites in Hoi An, Duong Lam, Nghe An, and Tien Giang (regarding architecture, decorative arts, costumes, festivals, cuisine, and the cultural life of the people, etc.); and addressed international lessons and experiences shared from examples of heritage preservation in Japan. The reports indicated that Vietnam's world cultural heritage sites are facing a serious risk of degradation, and the preservation and promotion of their value are also facing many difficulties, especially in the past two years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, an urgent issue is the need for the most creative solutions to adapt to the new situation. The practical lessons learned from the restoration, preservation, and promotion of the specific heritage sites mentioned in these reports will provide valuable suggestions for heritage conservation efforts in both Vietnam and Japan.

The workshop also received enthusiastic participation and discussion from delegates, both in person at the meeting hall and online via Zoom. Through this, many perspectives on preservation were clarified, and many specific experiences and solutions were shared to, on the one hand, maximize the preservation of the original elements of the heritage, and on the other hand, best promote the multifaceted value of the heritage, contributing to the socio-economic and cultural development of the nation.

In his closing remarks at the conference, Mr. Ando Toshiki highly appreciated the research results presented in the reports, noting that the proposed solutions were very meaningful, highly feasible, and addressed many aspects: the coordination of experts, support from various organizations and agencies, but most importantly, the participation of local communities. The potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Japan is immense in the area of ​​preserving invaluable world heritage sites in Vietnam, especially in the context of COVID-19, where we can implement appropriate activities. This conference is a prime example of how, despite the pandemic, we can still find suitable forms of cooperation: for instance, successfully organizing a very meaningful conference in both in-person and online formats.

Mr. Ando Toshiki (Director of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam) delivered a speech.

Associate Professor Dr. Dao Thanh Truong (Vice Rector) concluded: Through the reports and lively discussions in the three sessions of the Conference, we see that, first and foremost, we need to have the most complete understanding of the heritage, and then we need to propose comprehensive solutions based on international experience, mobilizing the participation of the entire community to best preserve and pass on the value of these cultural heritages to future generations; harmoniously resolving the relationship between preservation and sustainable development; preserving heritage while also promoting its value in economic development and improving the lives of the people. In the future, we will continue to receive effective support and cooperation from scientists and experts from universities and research institutes in Japan.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong (Vice Rector) delivered the closing remarks at the Workshop.

Here are some images from the workshop: a general overview of the workshop, delegates presenting and discussing in person in the hall, and delegates attending online via Zoom.