On June 10, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh issued a directive to request the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies, and local authorities to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the display, preservation, protection, and security of national treasures across the country.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has been delegated to give instructions, conduct inspections, and oversee the conservation and restoration of historical and cultural relics. The goal is to ensure effective management and the sustainable promotion of national heritage values. Issues that fall beyond the Ministry's jurisdiction are to be compiled and reported to higher authorities no later than June 30.
To date, Vietnam has officially recognized more than 260 national treasures. These include numerous invaluable artifacts dating back thousands of years, such as the Ngoc Lu bronze drum, the Dao Thinh bronze jar, the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva statue at But Thap Pagoda, and the Vinh Lang stele from the Lam Kinh historical site.
This request was made after a series of incidents of national treasures being violated, most recently, the vandalism of the imperial throne of the Nguyen Dynasty at Thai Hoa Palace, in the Hue Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In response, the Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to intensify efforts to ensure the absolute safety of all national treasures and prevent irreparable losses.
