Heritage is constantly being violated
The stele "Thanh Duc Than Cong Bi Ky", nearly 2.8 m high, weighing 7 tons, located in the stele of King Khai Dinh, has just been found violating with hundreds of lines and symbols engraved with sharp objects on the Chinese characters on both sides.
Of course, this is not the first time that works in the Hue Monuments Complex have been encroached upon by domestic and foreign tourists. This situation has lasted for decades with typical incidents such as: The stele "Khiem Cung Ky" on the Mausoleum of King Tu Duc was engraved with sharp objects; the bell, stone stele and turtle apricot statue at Thien Mu pagoda were painted with sticks; The Hue Citadel Monument has many times had engravings and signs of being unfinished; Phu Van Lau's name engraved on the pillars by tourists. And most recently, the most serious was the throne at Thai Hoa Palace being broken by a man last May.
Continuous and repeated attacks on relics show that Hue's world cultural heritage complex is under pressure beyond its existing protection capacity.
As a complex of Hue Monuments recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage since 1993, heritage protection is not only a task of the locality, but also a mandatory requirement in implementing the 1972 World Heritage Convention to which Vietnam is a member.
Heritage protection is based on 3 pillars
According to the World Heritage Convention Implementation Guidelines, UNESCO - the latest update in 2023, heritage protection must be based on 3 core pillars: Ensuring integrity, preserving authenticity and establishing an effective management mechanism.
Based on UNESCO's recommendation in the document "Cultural Heritage Management" - for cultural heritages under pressure from tourism and physical damage, Hue can implement a number of solutions.
The first is to set up a 24/7 smart monitoring system using digital technology. UNESCO recommends that heritages use advanced technology to enhance monitoring capacity and replace outdated manual methods. Hue can install AI cameras to detect unusual behavior at stele houses, shrines, throne areas, etc. Integrating an automatic warning system when detecting inappropriate contact.
Next, it is possible to strengthen the protective barrier in the direction of "soft conservation". In UNESCO's guide, the principle of "maximum protection, minimum intervention" is emphasized to avoid deforming heritage experiences.
According to this guide, Hue can use a fence made of high-strength glass as the model installed at Thai Hoa Palace. Low retaining wall design, suitable for traditional landscape. Apply a buffer zone to avoid direct contact. The goal is to protect heritage without losing the aesthetics and emotions of tourists.
Finally, it is necessary to increase the penalty level and apply the "mandatory recovery" model. A cultural heritage of humanity cannot be protected only by a fine of 1 - 3 million VND for violations as per current law.
UNESCO recommends that countries with a world heritage declare strong enough sanctions to ensure deterrence. Accordingly, Hue also needs to propose adjusting the penalty for violations of relics commensurate with cultural damage. Publicly announce violations to raise social awareness. Applying the measure of "working to restore relics" - the model that many European countries are applying.
In the new context, when the number of visitors increases sharply and violations are increasingly large and complicated, in reality, it requires a modern, professional heritage management model, which is the foundation for building a sustainable conservation mechanism for many decades to come.
