The poem inscribed on the roof ridge of Ngọ Môn Gate is part of the Poetry on Huế Royal Architecture collection, which was recognised by UNESCO as documentary heritage under the Memory of the World Programme for Asia and the Pacific. — Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — As the 2024 Cultural Heritage Law introduces new requirements for the identification, preservation and digitisation of documentary heritage, building a highly skilled workforce, strengthening collaboration and applying technology are increasingly regarded as the key foundation for safeguarding and promoting the value of documentary heritage, allowing the nation’s collective memory to be sustainably carried forward in contemporary life.

Unlocking a treasure trove of documentary heritage

According to Phạm Thị Khánh Ngân, Chief of the Office of the Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Việt Nam possesses an invaluable treasure trove of documentary heritage, but preservation efforts remain fragmented.

Huế is home to four of the country’s 11 UNESCO-inscribed documentary heritage items: the Nguyễn Dynasty Woodblocks (recognised in 2009), the Imperial Archives of the Nguyễn Dynasty (2014), the Poetry on Huế Royal Architecture (2016), and the Bas-reliefs on the Nine Dynastic Urns in the Huế Imperial Citadel (2024).

Đà Nẵng preserves thousands of stone steles, royal ordinations, horizontal lacquered boards, parallel sentences and Chăm inscriptions. Its Hội An alone still retains more than 2,000 pages of original documents, along with numerous family genealogies and cadastral records related to the international trading port that flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. However, many valuable documents remain scattered among family lineages and religious institutions and are increasingly vulnerable to floods, mould and extreme weather.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hải, Director of the Huế Department of Culture and Sports, said the value of documentary heritage has yet to be fully appreciated. Many people stop at admiring the architecture of heritage sites without fully recognising the cultural depth contained in each poetic line, calligraphic inscription, and epigraphic text preserved within these heritage sites. Awareness among young people, schools and society at large remains limited compared with the significance that UNESCO has acknowledged.

Enhancing the quality of human resources

The 2024 Cultural Heritage Law, which took effect on July 1, 2025, for the first time devotes a separate chapter to the protection and promotion of documentary heritage. It requires the preparation of condition records, conservation and restoration measures, and mandatory digitisation and backup storage in the national database system.

These provisions demand a highly qualified archival workforce, as mistakes in identification, preservation or digitisation could result in irreversible losses of original materials.

From June 19-21, in Huế City, the Cultural Heritage Department, in coordination with the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, organised a professional training course for documentary heritage personnel from across the country. According to Phạm Phú Ngọc, Director of the Hội An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation, the programme is a necessary step to help localities meet the requirements of the new law.

The course focused on sharing experience in identifying documentary heritage and preparing nomination dossiers in line with the Cultural Heritage Law and UNESCO standards. Ngân said the new regulations expand the scope of documentary heritage to include collections held by family lineages, religious organisations and individuals, as illustrated by the UNESCO inscription of the collection of composer Hoàng Vân. This creates opportunities for citizens to participate in preserving and documenting valuable collections kept within their families.

Heritage experts and management agencies have also proposed building an interconnected ecosystem linking museums, libraries, archives and universities; accelerating surveys, digitisation, transcription and translation; developing open databases, digital interpretation systems, virtual reality applications and heritage education products.

According to experts from UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, the combination of a transparent legal framework, a comprehensive digitisation strategy and an internationally qualified workforce will provide a solid foundation for preserving, utilising and disseminating the value of Việt Nam's documentary heritage, enabling the nation’s collective memory to be passed on sustainably to future generations. — VNA/VNS