Hoi An City People's Committee informed that on October 17, 2024 in Vientiane Capital, Laos, the leaders of the two cities, including Mr. Nguyen Van Son - Chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee and Mr. Viengthong Hatsachanh - Chairman of Luang Prabang City (Laos) signed the agreement to establish a sister city relationship between the two cities, witnessed by Mr. Tran Thanh Man - Member of the Politburo, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Mr. Saysomphone Phomvihane - Member of the Politburo, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR; Mr. Luong Nguyen Minh Triet - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee and Mr. Vongsavanh Thepphachanh - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Luang Prabang province; and delegates of the two countries.
The two cities agreed to cooperate, support and help each other in areas of strength, share experiences in management, restoration, conservation and promotion of heritage values; share measures and methods to ensure the exploitation of heritage values to serve tourism in a sustainable and effective manner and bring long-term benefits to the people; organize short-term training courses and experience exchanges for officials working in cultural management and heritage management of each side.
In particular, the two localities will cooperate strongly in the field of tourism, organizing tours connecting the two world cultural heritages; sharing experiences in tourism promotion, advertising and management activities of each side; coordinating the organization of cultural events, tourism promotion in each locality or jointly organizing domestic and foreign tourism promotion to promote the image and value of the World Cultural Heritage - Hoi An Ancient Town and the World Cultural Heritage - Luang Prabang Ancient Capital to connect and attract more and more tourists to each locality.
Hoi An is a land with unique historical values, a place that shows diverse cultural exchanges, especially during the period when Hoi An was an international trading port. With its inherent strength in international cultural exchange and assimilation since the 16th century, Hoi An is now being oriented to develop into an important foreign city of Quang Nam province in the near future.
This is an activity to realize the policy that the National Assembly of the two countries had previously set. The two cities of Hoi An and Luang Prabang have many similarities in terms of economy, culture, society and especially the "kind and loyal" character of the people of the two localities. The two cities have many similarities in culture and architecture, both have ancient urban areas recognized by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage, and are also one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
It can be said that the cooperation between Hoi An city and Luang Prabang city will contribute to further tightening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam.
