Da Nang promotes multi-sector cooperation in Italy
DNO - As part of their working trip to Italy, a delegation of Da Nang’s officials, led by Standing Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Dinh Vinh, had working sessions with the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy and the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) on Friday.
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During the meeting with the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy, Deputy Secretary Nguyen Dinh Vinh expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy would continue acting as a bridge to support Da Nang in connecting with major Italian partners and corporations in key areas such as cultural industries, cultural heritage preservation and promotion, investment attraction, economic and trade cooperation, tourism, and urban planning.
Hosting the delegation at the embassy headquarters, Vietnamese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Italy Nguyen Phuong Anh expressed her pleasure at receiving the Da Nang visitors.
Speaking about bilateral relations, Ambassador Phuong Anh noted that Vietnam - Italy cooperation is currently experiencing its most favorable period in history.
Italy is the third-largest economy in the European Union (EU), while Vietnam has become Italy’s largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade reaching an impressive USD 8 billion annually.
According to the Ambassador, this provides a highly favorable foundation and significant room for Vietnamese localities, particularly dynamic economic centers such as Da Nang, to expand international cooperation.
Commending the proactive approach and vision of the city's leaders, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Anh particularly welcomed the proposal to jointly organize the Genoa - Da Nang Conference under the theme “Journey from Italy to Central Vietnam: Strengthening Investment, Trade and Tourism Cooperation” scheduled to take place on June 16, 2026 in Genoa.
Through this event, she suggested that Da Nang continue implementing international agreements in a substantive and effective manner, with a focus on the cooperation agreement between Genoa and Da Nang.
The Ambassador hoped with strong commitment and a systematic approach, the partnership between Da Nang and Genoa could become a model for local-level cooperation between Vietnam and Italy in the new era.
Later the same day, the Da Nang delegation had a working session with ICCROM representatives.
During the meeting, ICCROM representatives provided an overview of the organization’s history and mission.
Established in 1936 and officially headquartered in Rome, Italy in 1939, ICCROM is currently the world’s only global intergovernmental organization dedicated to the conservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, with 139 member states.
Its mission is to promote, share, and enhance heritage conservation worldwide through training, information exchange, research, and international cooperation.
ICCROM has implemented several projects in Vietnam, including heritage data archiving and digitization initiatives in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Vinh thanked ICCROM for its warm reception and highly appreciated the organization’s expertise and effective operational model, which successfully integrates heritage conservation with contemporary social realities.
He noted that Da Nang is now home to more than 595 heritage sites and relics requiring preservation and management.
Among them are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary, along with the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bai Choi Art, the World Documentary Heritage of the Marble Mountains Stone Inscriptions (Ma Nhai), four Special National Relics, and 28 other nationally recognized cultural heritage sites.
Facing global challenges, particularly the impacts of climate change on ancient architecture and outdoor artifacts, the city asked for a helping hand from ICCROM in some aspects.
The focus will be on sharing international experience in heritage and monument management, preserving stone artifacts and valuable collections at the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, and restoring temple towers within the My Son World Heritage Site that have yet to be rehabilitated.
Da Nang hoped that ICCROM will accompany the city by assigning experts to support the preservation and restoration of the unique Ma Nhai documentary heritage and provide guidance on planning the Marble Mountains Scenic Area in line with sustainable development and climate adaptation objectives while preserving its core heritage values.
Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, on behalf of the city leaders, extended an invitation to ICCROM representatives to visit the city for working meetings and field surveys.
The city also expressed its hope that ICCROM would participate in and support two major upcoming cultural diplomacy events: the Heritage Cities Conference: Da Nang - Where Heritage Meets the Future, scheduled for late 2026 in Da Nang, and the World Heritage Cities Festival, planned for 2027 in Hoi An.