An international scientific conference was held on July 30, in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province to give consultation on outstanding universal value and nomination criteria for the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site.
Overview of the conference. (Photo: nhandan.vn)
The event, jointly held by the People’s Committee of An Giang Province and the Institute for Conservation of Monuments under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attracted some 50 delegates, including domestic and international experts, administrators, scientists, and representatives from central government agencies and An Giang Province.
According to Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, this international conference plays an important role in the process of developing a nomination dossier for the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site to be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for inscription on the World Cultural Heritage List.
The Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site is a large-scale complex of religious and spiritual architectural remains, featuring a dense concentration of remarkable archaeological relics in southern Viet Nam. The archaeological evidence outlines the appearance of a large religious centre, with a distinctive cultural life that reflects the ancient urban residents of Oc Eo in history.
At the conference, delegates and scholars clarified key aspects of the Oc Eo - Ba The cultural heritage in three main areas: assessing the current documentation; proposing nomination criteria that the site is expected to meet; and defining the outstanding universal value of the Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site to support its nomination for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status.
Domestic and international experts and scholars attending the conference. (Photo: nhandan.vn)
Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, Le Trung Ho, stated that the province is currently completing the final steps for the nomination dossier and management plan. The draft nomination dossier is expected to be submitted before September 30, 2025, and the official dossier to the World Heritage Centre before February 1, 2026.
The Oc Eo - Ba The Archaeological Site, located in Oc Eo Commune, An Giang Province, has been recognised as a Special National Relic. In 2021, the Prime Minister approved the master plan for the conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of this special national site.
In 2022, the World Heritage Centre included the site in the Tentative List for potential World Cultural Heritage nominations. So far, the first phase of the nomination dossier has been completed, and An Giang Province aims to finalise the full nomination for UNESCO inscription by 2027.