At a press briefing held in Hanoi on December 21, Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Enzo Angeloni said the result of the second phase of the “Safeguarding of My Son World Heritage” project was attributable to the joint efforts of the Vietnamese and Italian scientists as well as the assistance of the Italian Government and UNESCO representative office in Vietnam.

The Italian diplomat said Vietnam’s heritage conservation projects are on the priority list for the Italian Government’s development cooperation in Vietnam. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Italian Government will continue assisting Vietnam to implement the third phase of the project.

The project, financed by Italy through UNESCO, was carried out with non-refundable aid of USD642,000 in the first phase from 2003 to 2005 and USD453,000 in the second phase from 2006-2010.

Under the project, Italian, UNESCO and Vietnamese experts have conducted research activities and materials analysis and tested building techniques as well as provided vocational training for officials and management officers of the archeological area of My Son.

At the event, Italy introduced a draft manual on the restoration of heritages based on experience gained during the implementation of the project. This publication, in English and Vietnamese, will soon be available at national and international level.

The archeological area of My Son is one of the most important relics in Vietnam and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.