Trainer: Arlette Auduc, Supervisor, Île-de-France Regional Historical Monuments Inventory

Trainees: 30 Vietnamese professionals from various agencies of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Construction:

• Management Committee for the Old Quarter of Hanoi (36 streets)
• Management Committee for Heritage and Sites of Hanoi
• Center for the Conservation of the Co Loa site and ancient citadel of Hanoi
• National Institute of Architecture and the National Institute of Urban and Rural Planning (Ministry of Construction)
• Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture)
• Offices of Culture and Information, districts of Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Thanh Xuan.

Provisions for the listing, classification and protection of cultural heritage are spelled out in the Cultural Heritage Law enacted in 2001. However, much of Vietnam’s heritage is not yet adequately protected. The inventory and compiling of heritage files are also neglected.

The trainer gave an exhaustive presentation on the inventory procedure followed in France and the Île-de-France region, then went on to address the issue of protecting and enhancing heritage elements in urban planning documents. The sessions were marked by very in-depth discussions. Issues raised by the trainees often had to do with listed or classified heritage, but also with its being delisted, especially where industrial buildings are involved.

The trainer also emphasized the importance of landscape heritage and the need to protect neighborhoods and associations of heritage elements. This issue is handled in France by creating zones for the protection of architectural, urban and landscape heritage.