The Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity brings new perspectives to World Heritage preservation

From 27 September to 1 October 2026, a Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity for the Asia-Pacific region took place in Ha Noi and Ninh Binh (Viet Nam). Convened by the Government of Viet Nam with the support of the World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Office in Ha Noi, it brought together around 250 participants from 29 countries, including members of the World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS, UNESCO Category 2 Centres, researchers, representatives of local communities, knowledge holders and youth.

Opened by Viet Nam's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Le Hoai Trung, the Dialogue provided a platform for experts and representatives from across the region to reflect on how Heritage and Authenticity is understood, assessed and sustained in different cultural contexts. The Outcome sessions were co-chaired by Professor George Okello Abungu (Kenya) and Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, Secretary-General of the Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO.

The Dialogue was organized in response to the World Heritage Committee's encouragement for regions of the world to contribute to the ongoing reflection on Heritage and Authenticity under the World Heritage Convention. Its main results are emphasized in the Ha Noi Outcome on Heritage and Authenticity, highlighting perspectives from across Asia and the Pacific. The Ha Noi Outcome constitutes the second regional contribution to this reflection, following the Nairobi Outcome developed during the first Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2025.

Building on the Nara Document on Authenticity (1994) and the Nairobi Outcome (2025), the Ha Noi Outcome on Heritage and Authenticity recognizes that much heritage in Asia and the Pacific is sustained through the renewal of materials, the transmission of knowledge and skills, and living practice.

The text states that change does not necessarily imply a loss of authenticity, provided that it is assessed on the basis of credible evidence. It notes that continuing practices, rituals, knowledge and relationships to place can convey a property's Outstanding Universal Value alongside its physical fabric, and calls for community-held knowledge to be considered transparently together with documentary and scientific evidence. The Outcome also includes recommendations to inform future discussions and decision-making under the Convention.

“I thank Viet Nam for hosting a Dialogue that has brought the experience of Asia and the Pacific on safeguarding heritage in their unique cultural context. The perspective from this diverse region will enrich the ongoing global conversation on heritage and authenticity,”

Nayef Al-Fayez, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO.

At the occasion of the Dialogue, a ceremony for the launch of the reconstruction of Kinh Thiên Palace at the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi took place, in the presence of the President of Viet Nam, Mr. Tô Lâm.

As part of the Dialogue, delegates had the opportunity to examine heritage management and conservation practices during a site visit to the Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh.

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