The first Viet Nam – ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival will take place from 27th to 31st December 2013 in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, coincide with the 120th anniversary ceremony of Da Lat City (1893 – 2013) and the 5th Da Lat Flower Festival.

This event aims to honor and promote Viet Nam’s heritage which have been recognized by UNESCO and submitted UNESCO documents; foster sharing experience among Viet Nam, ASEAN countries and partner’s countries in conservation and promotion of heritage values; at the same time contribute to strengthening closer ties and friendship among Viet Nam, ASEAN countries and partner’s countries; introduce the potentials and strengths of Da Lat – Lam Dong and Central Highlands provinces to domestic and international friends.

The festival will attract the participation of ASEAN countries and ASEAN’s partners such as India, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea; Viet Nam’s cities, provinces which have heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, including 5 provinces in Central Highlands, 4 ones in Central Region and 8 ones in Northern Region. Besides, the first Viet Nam – ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival also receives the positive response of cities, provinces, which have heritage sites submitted documents to UNESCO.

The first Viet Nam – ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival will have many special activities such as: international seminar “UNESCO heritage network in Southeast Asia region: Conservation associated with sustainable development”, discussion “Da Lat flowers and tourism”; exhibition of Da Lat flowers and ornamental plants; performance exchange of Viet Nam – ASEAN UNESCO intangible cultural heritage; carnival of ASEAN UNESCO heritage – Da Lat flower; performance of arrange art reappearing famous cultural works, particularly of 10 ASEAN countries...

In the framework of the festival, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province will launch National Tourism Year 2014 – Central Highlands – Da Lat.

ASEAN consists of 10 countries with diverse forms of heritage containing unique and distinct cultural – historical values, of which many heritage sites have been recognized as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Particularly in Viet Nam, with long-standing history and specific cultural tradition of 54 ethnic groups, Viet Nam has 7 heritage sites, 7 forms of intangible heritage and 3 documentary items recognized by UNESCO. The heritage has contributed to developing tourism, fostering economic, society in the localities, where preserve the heritage and also in Viet Nam.

As 1 in 5 provinces containing the heritage of the Space of Gong culture in Central Highlands, Lam Dong is honored to host the first Viet Nam – ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival. It is expected that the festival will be held alternately among the countries in the ASEAN region in the coming years.