Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Phuong
According to Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Phuong, currently, the province invests fully in a number of key areas in the Complex of Hue Monuments; steps up planning and planning management in the direction of developing Hue into a heritage city associated with the development of green, smart, civilized and modern city. It closely links urbanization and new rural construction; strengthens the protection of natural resources and environment, proactively responds to climate change and sea level rise.
In addition, the administrative boundary of Hue City is extended to the east, in the direction of the sea. Development space is ensured to become a central city, a driver towards green and heritage city...
What are the advantages and challenges of conserving architecture and HC landscape, sir?
Hue is the sole intact Ancient Capital of Vietnam, which needs to be protected, preserved and promoted. Therefore, the Party, State and international friends have given special attention to support. In addition, Hue brand, ASEAN cultural heritage city, the typical Festival City of Vietnam, etc. have gained prestige in the region and the world.
With those advantages and the efforts of the local government and people, the revived heritages of Hue Ancient Capital become one of the main drivers behind the socio-economic development, the material and spiritual life improvement for the people, the national position enhancement in the process of integration into the world.
However, due to the large number of heritages and monuments, many works fell into severe disrepair, many of which became ruins and deformed over time, such as Hue Imperial City area, ancient streets, assembly halls, communal houses, pagodas, temples, museums, etc., which need to be soon repaired and restored. Notwithstanding the attention given to the conservation and promotion of intangible cultural values, the investment in conservation and promotion is incommensurate.
The study into appropriate solutions for preserving the originality of the traditional architectural heritage against the pressures of the trend of architectural modernization, of economic, tourism and urban development, etc. is a pressing problem to the locality.
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A corner of Hue City viewed from above
What will the heritage conservation roadmap for HC development be like, sir?
Over the past time, the province specifically defined the scope and boundaries of heritage areas and buffer zones; planned the heritage core area to the north of the Perfume River, took Hue Citadel as the center and accompanying surrounding areas to continue conserving heritage values.
Simultaneously, the province restored all major monuments in the Royal Palace area; relocated the residents at Area 1 of Hue Imperial City; restored the cultural works, cultural festivals, old customs, ancient towns of Gia Hoi, Chi Lang, Bao Vinh in association with the policy of depopulation to maintain reasonable population density and traffic.
Residents in Thượng Thành (the Upper Citadel) dismantled their houses to return land to Hue heritage
Revival of cultural festivals contributes to the identity creation for the heritage city
Ngũ Phụng (Five-Phoenix) Floor on Ngọ Môn (Meridian Gate) is one of the typical architectural works of art restored.
The province is focusing on the urban planning towards building a centrally-run city grounded on preserving and promoting the value of the Ancient Capital heritage and Hue cultural identity; developing synchronous infrastructure, especially traffic infrastructure.
Notably, top priority is given to the investment in key urban development projects such as To Huu Street extending to Phu Bai Airport, Nguyen Hoang Street and the bridge over the Perfume River, Ring Road 3, and My An - Thuan An road, Chan May Port breakwater - phase 2, expansion of Phu Bai international airport, coastal road...
Heritage city shape viewed from above
What will the province do to solve the problem between economic development and cultural development; between conserving, preserving traditions and promoting heritage values?
The province rejected many industrial projects at the risk of causing environmental pollution and many commercial projects at the risk of disrupting the landscape, etc. in order to conserve the heritage and natural landscape.
The process of developing the centrally-run city must ensure favorable conditions for the conservation and development of HC, maintaining the brands that the city built. In the coming time, the province will maximize social resources to invest in the conservation and restoration of important culture and heritage works through specific mechanisms and policies just approved by the National Assembly. It will maximize the mobilization of resources with the priority to the transport infrastructure development, industrial development infrastructure, and service infrastructure; promote the selection of investment attraction for large-scale projects, creating great added value and increasing income; step by step form and develop Hue cultural industry...
The economic problem for HC is a crucial factor. In your opinion, which sphere will be the driver behind development?
It is heritage tourism economy. The development of tourism economy, especially cultural heritage tourism, plays a vital role as a driver and a foundation for contributing to the effective and successful implementation of Resolution 54.
A number of mechanisms and policies have also been issued in order to encourage the maximum promotion of cultural heritage values, serve tourism development such as the socialization, exploitation and development of tourism services and products at the complex of monuments to improve the quality, diversify and enrich tourism products.
The promotion and introduction of destinations to exploit HC and culture are also devoted attention and actively implemented in order to draw tourists and serve tourism development in various promotional forms and content. The task of training and developing human resource also gets attention with an eye to meeting the needs of tourists at heritage and culture exploitation destinations.
What difficulties will the province resolve for heritage tourism economy to develop sustainably, sir?
We will focus on planning and planning management towards developing Thua Thien Hue into a HC associated with tourism development. Priority is given to the development of heritage tourism as the core and feature to build tourism products and destinations.
The mechanisms and policies on exploiting the strengths of HC in tourism development will be built and perfected, especially the socialization mechanism in investment in exploiting heritage values in tourism service development, particularly in the Complex of Hue Monuments. The link and cooperation in tourism among the regional localities, especially the tourism link and development in 5 localities on the "Central Vietnam Heritage Road" will be proactively carried out. The domestic and international cooperation in culture will be expanded. The brand development strategy will be boosted, and the strong propaganda and promotion to the domestic and foreign community stepped up.
Thank you, sir.
By THO MINH
Photos: LE THO - PHAN THANH - PHAN THANG - BAO MINH