The conference was attended and directed by Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Head of the Steering Committee for the preparation of the nomination dossier of the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site.

Participants included Dr. Rima Hooja, ICOMOS expert from India; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Ngo Le Van; Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Dang Xuan Thanh; members of the National Cultural Heritage Council; Pham Thi Thanh Huong, Head of Cultural Commission, UNESCO Office in Hanoi; Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province; experts, scientists, leaders of provincial departments and agencies, and local authorities. 

It is known that the nomination dossier of the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site was submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on January 29, 2026. The On-site survey program by ICOMOS experts from August 17 to 24, 2026 was an important step in the evaluation process, opening a new stage in bringing the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site (An Giang Province, Vietnam) to the world. 

The working group conducted a series of field surveys at the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site: visiting the An Giang Museum and artifact storage; surveying in Oc Eo commune and My Thuan commune, covering core relics such as Northern Linh Son (Linh Son Bac), Ba The mountain peak, Linh Son Pagoda (Linh Son Tu), Southern Linh Son (Linh Son Nam), Tu Tram Hill (Go Tu Tram), Sau Thuan Hill (Go Sau Thuan), Ut Tranh Hill (Go Ut Tranh), Ut Anh Hill (Go Ut Anh), Cay Tram Hill (Go Cay Tram), Cay Thi Hill (Go Cay Thi), Giong Cat Hill (Go Giong Cat), Giong Trom Hill (Go Giong Trom), Big Wetland (Lung Lon) and the ancient Citadel moat, Giong Xoai, Pagoda foundation (Nen Chua)… Particularly meaningful were community engagement activities at Linh Son Pagoda (Oc Eo commune) and Nen Chua site (My Thuan commune), vividly demonstrating the strong connection between cultural heritage and the lives of local people. 

Speaking at the Closing conference, Dr. Rima Hooja, Expert from ICOMOS India, highly appreciated the preparation efforts of the relevant ministries, central agencies, as well as provincial and local leaders in preparing documentation and conducting field surveys at the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site. Accordingly, Dr. Rima Hooja recommended that the relevant ministries, central agencies, provincial leaders, the Oc Eo Cultural Relic Management Board, and local authorities provide supplementary supporting evidence to further clarify the dossier evaluation process, aiming toward the core objective of bringing long-term benefits to both the heritage site and the local community.  

Delivering his closing remarks at the conference, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, who serves as the Head of the Steering Committee for the preparation of the nomination dossier of the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological site, requested specialized agencies to synthesize expert opinions and provide timely information as soon as possible. He also emphasized supplementing missing values in the nomination dossier, particularly focusing on illustrative images and visual maps. Furthermore, he called for promoting the publication of research materials (including foreign language publications) and accelerating the progress of artifact classification and restoration from the Institute of Archaeology to make the dossier more vivid, while completing and updating the heritage management plan to suit actual conditions.

The Deputy Minister requested An Giang province and regulatory authorities to continue planning, placing boundary markers for the monument, and protecting the landscape; strictly safeguard potential archaeological sites to prevent the loss of artifacts; and actively connect the community with the heritage site by enhancing school education, creating sustainable livelihoods for local residents, and effectively implementing communication mechanisms to encourage citizens to voluntarily surrender collected artifacts to the state. 

Absorbing the recommendations of Dr. Rima Hooja and other experts, as well as the directives of Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee Le Van Phuoc stated that the survey trip was an opportunity for international experts to directly access the outstanding values of Oc Eo - Ba The. He added that it also helped An Giang province gain deeper insight into the requirements for conserving, managing, and promoting the heritage values during the process of completing the nomination dossier.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized that achieving World Heritage inscription is not the ultimate destination, but rather the beginning of a greater responsibility toward the heritage, the community, and future generations. An Giang province commits to continuing to mobilize resources and enhance coordination with central agencies, specialized organizations, scientists, and the community to effectively carry out the conservation, management, and promotion of the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site in the coming time.

On this occasion, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee Le Van Phuoc presented flowers and gifts to Dr. Rima Hooja and took commemorative photos.

News by Bich Thuy

Translator: Thi Huynh