UNESCO prize for preservation efforts in Hoi An
Feb. 26 (VNA) -- The project to preserve the ancient town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province has won an outstanding prize for its efforts from the UNESCO Committee for the Asia-Pacific.
The prize was presented by Cultural Advisor to the UNESCO Committee for the Asia-Pacific, Richard Englhardt at a ceremony held on Feb. 25 by the Hoi An Town People's Committee.
The noble prize was awarded in recognition of the effective cooperation among organizations and individuals in the country and abroad such as the Information and Culture Ministry, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, JICA, and those who had made great contributions to studying, and disseminating the cultural value of the Hoi An ancient town, and granted technical assistance to the preservation efforts.
Hoi An is the third site in Viet Nam recognized for its world cultural heritage by UNESCO after the former imperial city of Hue, also in the central region and Ha Long Bay in the north.
Hoi An, historically known as a once prosperous seaport under the various names of Fayfo, Kaifo, Faifoo, Faixfo, Hoai Pho and Hoi An, is the only place in Viet Nam with its original streets and architecture intact, and is typical of a former Southeast Asian port.
The town was a crossing point for economic-cultural flows into Viet Nam and Southeast Asia from the end of the 16th century to the early 19th century.
It was also the gate way through which Buddhism and Christianity were introduced into Viet Nam. In the process, Hoi An acquired unique cultural characteristics and these are manifest in its preserved relics and customs.
Hoi An boasts 194 historical sites including 87 pagodas, temples and communal houses, 82 ancient tube-shaped houses, 24 ancient wells and an ancient tiled bridge.--VNA
