France launches 18 billion VND project to support Vietnam in heritage preservation.

On May 9th, the French Embassy in Vietnam held a press conference to launch the collaborative project "Sharing and Preserving Vietnamese Heritage".

The project has received funding of up to 18 billion VND for activities during the 2022-2024 period from the French Government and partners (museums, localities, universities). The project aims to concretize cooperation between French and Vietnamese cultural agencies and organizations, in order to promote and preserve Vietnam's natural and cultural heritage.

The project will implement numerous activities, including professional training for museum staff in Vietnam. Training programs will be conducted by experts from renowned museums and universities in France. Cooperation between French and Vietnamese museums will also be strengthened through field trips and experience-sharing in France.

The French side will also assist in developing training programs in museum professions at universities in Vietnam: preserving collections, developing exhibition content, designing exhibition spaces, communicating content, and welcoming the public, in order to train lecturers and provide opportunities for young Vietnamese people to better understand the field of museum studies.

Ms. Sophie Maysonnave, Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities, said the project will take place in three regions of Vietnam, specifically: renovating the Visitor Center of Cuc Phuong National Park (Ninh Binh), supporting the Environmental Communication and Education Center of Cu Lao Cham Marine Reserve (Quang Nam), and designing and implementing "Storytelling Boxes" for museums in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Storytelling boxes" are a very new and interesting form of communication in France. These are mobile displays showcasing a prominent museum exhibit. Upon entering the "Storytelling Box," visitors hear stories surrounding the exhibit, sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to delve deeper into the museum's history.

In addition, other partners of the project include: the National Museum of Nature, the Vietnam Women's Museum, and Hanoi University of Architecture (Northern Vietnam); the Da Nang Museum, the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Royal Antiquities (Central Vietnam); and the Southern Vietnam Women's Museum, Hoa Sen University, and Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture (Southern Vietnam).

According to Denis Duclos, Director of External Relations at the French National Museum of Natural History, the cooperative relationship between the French National Museum of Natural History and Vietnamese academic and scientific institutions has a long history and has been nurtured in many different fields.

Sharing France's experience in heritage management, French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery stated that the quality and conservation efforts of heritage sites and museums have significantly contributed to France becoming a leading tourist destination worldwide and positively contributing to economic growth.

“In 2019, the tourism sector contributed €211 billion (8.5%) to France's GDP and impacted many economic sectors (accommodation, restaurants, transportation, retail, museums, tour guiding, etc.). Preserving and promoting heritage creates quality jobs and contributes to sustainable economic growth,” said Nicolas Warnery.

From there, the French Ambassador emphasized that Vietnam can also leverage its cultural strengths and heritage to develop its economy.

“Hanoi is one of the Asian cities with a valuable heritage of urban architecture. The city needs to strengthen the preservation and promotion of this strength in economic development. Recently, we participated in providing technical support to Hanoi in preserving the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao. In the near future, the project will proceed with the renovation of two more villas in the capital,” said Nicolas Warnery.