Phong Nha – Ke Bang was honored as a World Heritage Site for the second time.

On the evening of August 14, in Dong Hoi city, the People's Committee of Quang Binh province held a ceremony to receive the UNESCO Certificate recognizing Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park as a World Natural Heritage for the second time and opened the Quang Binh Cave Festival 2015.

Ms. Katherine Muller Marin, UNESCO Representative in Vietnam (right) presented the UNESCO certificate recognizing Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park as a world natural heritage for the second time to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc; Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien; Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan; Head of UNESCO Representative Office in Vietnam Katherine Muller Marin; World Conservation Union (IUCN)... attended.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shared his joy and pride with his compatriots and international friends; at the same time, he praised and highly appreciated the efforts of the Party Committee, Government and people of Quang Binh province, along with ministries, departments, branches, relevant organizations and domestic and international scientists, who have actively researched and protected the heritage over the past many years. In particular, Quang Binh province has harmoniously combined heritage conservation with sustainable tourism development, gradually turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the locality, protecting the ecological environment, improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people, thereby increasingly enhancing the position of Quang Binh in the country and in the region.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested the Party Committee, Government and people of Quang Binh province to continue to promote the achievements; continue to preserve and promote the values ​​of this precious heritage. Quang Binh needs to focus on protecting the values ​​of biodiversity, geology, geomorphology, culture and history, the integrity of the heritage, associated with sustainable development, improving the lives of local people living in the heritage area. At the same time, he requested the local community to continue to join hands and contribute to protect, sustainably and effectively develop the values ​​of the World Natural Heritage Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien awarded the certificate to Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoai - Chairman of Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee

The Deputy Prime Minister also respectfully requested and hoped to continue receiving cooperation and assistance from UNESCO and international organizations and friends in the protection and sustainable development of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

At the ceremony, Ms. Katherine Muller Marin, Head of UNESCO Representative Office in Vietnam and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien presented the Certificate of recognition of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park as a World Natural Heritage for the second time to the representative of Quang Binh province.

Chairman of Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huu Hoai affirmed: The event of UNESCO honoring Phong Nha - Ke Bang with two new criteria is a recognition of the efforts of the Vietnamese Government, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and Quang Binh Province in the work of preserving the Heritage. With outstanding global values ​​in geology, geomorphology, and cave systems, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is also a common home for all living creatures, a paradise, a treasure of scientists, because with Phong Nha - Ke Bang, the more you explore, the more endless...

In July 2003, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Natural Heritage, according to the criteria of "Earth history and geological features of outstanding global value." Notably, recently at the 39th session in Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park was honored by UNESCO on the World Heritage List for the second time, with 2 outstanding global criteria, which are: "Representing the evolutionary and development process of terrestrial ecosystems and possessing a typical natural habitat for biodiversity". This is the first World Natural Heritage in Southeast Asia to meet 3/4 criteria.

The ceremony ended with a brilliant fireworks display on Nhat Le River, officially opening the Quang Binh Cave Festival 2015.

According to News