Hin Nam No Park in Laos advances as potential world heritage site
Hin Nam No National Park, located in Khammuan province, is another step closer to being named a world heritage site after the completion of formal application documents to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
The application requested that the park be granted world heritage status as a transboundary extension to the adjacent Phong Nha-Ke Bang World Heritage Site in Vietnam.
Unesco’s World Heritage Centre will send expert teams to Laos this year to inspect the world heritage elements of Hin Nam No National Park as stipulated in the application document.
If successful, this joint recognition will celebrate the exceptional biodiversity and natural significance of both parks, making it the first transboundary natural world heritage site in Southeast Asia and one of the region’s largest contiguous tropical karst areas under protection.
This success would also reflect the strong cooperation between Laos, Vietnam and international development partners.
Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Vansy Kuamua, who is a member of the National Heritage Management Committee, said on Wednesday that this achievement would be an important step in the conservation and recognition of the value of Hin Nam No National Park.
The park has been recognised as one of the world’s most important sites for biodiversity conservation based on the characteristics of wildlife and forest habitats, outstanding geological features and the diversity of fauna and flora including endangered species, endemic species and species endemic to limestone forests, Vansy said.
The upgrade of the park to a Unesco world heritage site would be a a valuable contribution to the conservation of this unique ecosystem, he added.
The deputy minister said he greatly appreciated the support received from both Lao and international organisations in the preparation of application documents, especially from specialists with the Protection and Sustainable Use of Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity project, and GIZ.
The Vientiane Times
The German Ambassador to Laos, Annette Knobloch, said “We would like to congratulate the Lao government on this successful submission.”
“Acceptance by Unesco is a significant milestone towards the creation of the region’s first transboundary natural world heritage site. If successful, this nomination will elevate Laos’ profile in the sphere of international and regional conservation of nature and forests. It will be testament to Laos’ commitment to foster partnerships in the region to confront the urgent issue of biodiversity loss and to assume stewardship of the region’s abundant natural assets for future generations.”
“Laos’ first natural world heritage site will inspire sustainable valuation of nature as part of Laos’ green growth. The German government is committed to continuing collaboration and support to the Lao government in the upcoming steps towards world heritage recognition through technical advice from GIZ,” the Ambassador said.
Laos currently has three world heritage sites, namely the Plain of Jars, the old town in Luang Prabang, and Vat Phou Champassak.
In addition, Unesco officially inscribed the khaen music of the Lao people as a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and last year listed Laos’ naga weaving motif as a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Vientiane Times
Asia News Network
