Delegates cutting ribbon to open the exhibition

The UNESCO Ha Noi Office and Panasonic Viet Nam organised the exhibit, entitled Discovery Wonders of World Heritage, which opened on October 18 with the aim of promoting the unique beauty of World Heritage sites.

The exhibit is on display at 19C Hoang Dieu street and will move on later to other cities and provinces.

Displayed in front of the Doan Mon (Main Gate) of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel are the images of spectacular heritage sites, including the eight World Heritage sites of Viet Nam.

These include Trang An Landscape Complex, Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and ancient Hoi An Town.

The Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur in Egypt, Yellowstone National Park and Memphis and its Necropolis in the United States, the Taj Mahal in India and the Historic Centre of Roma, Italy are presented using an innovative design.

The exhibit is constructed from triangle units formed from fundamental squares. The first area features 12 sites while the second shows various views and angles of the sites in Viet Nam.

On this occasion, Panasonic Viet Nam presented prizes for the best 15 picture drawings of the annual Eco Picture Diary and Kids Witness News contests, which encouraged children to express creative ideas for preserving the environment and to promote the practice of green living.

The opening of the exhibit was followed by a World Heritage Eco learning programme for hundreds of secondary school students in the capital city which aims to bring them to the sites and elicit their ideas for preserving them.

"The structure of the exhibit highlights the fact that the greatness of nature originates from tiny things," said Katherine Muller-Marin, head of UNESCO Viet Nam.

"Each heritage site is portrayed individually, yet all are linked closely to one another to create harmony between natural and cultural heritage, between the heritage of Viet Nam and of the world," Muller-Marin added.

"The beauty of world heritage is there for all of us to discover, but the challenge of protecting these valuable properties is also our mutual responsibility," noted Muller-Marin. "I hope the young audience of Vietnam will enjoy this exhibit as much as we do and will not hesitate to join hands in heritage conservation activities in the future."

Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Culture's Cultural Heritage Department, said the display was the first of its kind to introduce Viet Nam's World Heritage sites to foreigners from other countries in the world.

"In hopes of ensuring the sound growth and development of children, who will be the driving force of our planet's future, as well as maximising their potential, we believe in the importance of providing them with opportunities for learning," said Masahiro Yamamoto, Panasonic Viet Nam corporate planning director.