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The
first time:
On 21st December,
1991, The Government of Vietnam permitted the setting up a of file
on Ha Long Bay to be submitted to UNESCO for recognition of Ha Long
Bay as a World Heritage Site. During the two year period 1991 to
1993, UNESCO nominated many expert delegations to come to Quang Ninh
to survey, research, guide and review the ongoing file. Ha Long
Bay’s file was completed and sent to UNESCO, Paris, for
consideration in 1993, to be addressed at the 18th session.
On 17th December, 1994, the World Heritage Committee officially
recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area at its 18th
session in Phu Ket, Thailand, because of its universal aesthetic
value according to criteria (iii) of the Convention.
The
second time:
At the request of Ha
Long Bay Management Department and IUCN, in September 1998, Prof.
Tony Waltham, the top expert on Geology of Trent University,
Nottingham, conducted a survey of the limestone karst of Ha Long
Bay. He submitted his report to UNESCO Paris and Switzerland, IUCN
Offices (Ha Noi) and to the Ha Long Bay Management Department. As a
result, on 25th February, 1999, the World Heritage Center requested
Quang Ninh People’s Committee, Vietnam’s National Commission for
UNESCO and the Ha Long Bay Management Department to prepare a file
to submit to UNESCO for the inscription of Ha Long Bay’s outstanding
values of geology and geomorphology.
In July 1999, the
file was completed and sent to the World Heritage Center’s Office in
Paris. In December 1999, at the 23rd Congress of UNESCO held in
Marakesh, Morocco, UNESCO officially considered the file. In March
2000 Professor Ellery Hamilton Smith, a member of IUCN was delegated
to come to Ha Long to check the validity of the file and its
geological value and to evaluate the management situation and make
recommendations. In July 2000, at its mid-year meeting, the World
Heritage Center, Paris, officially proposed that the World Heritage
Committee recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Site for
its universal values of geology and geomorphology.
On 2nd December,
2000, at the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee held in
Cairns, Queensland, Australia, the World Heritage Committee
unanimously decided to recognize the universal geological value of
Ha Long Bay for the second time according to criteria (i) of the
International Convention on the Protection of the World National and
Cultural Heritage.
Source:
Halong bay
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