Islamabad:
In an important decision to strengthen bilateral relations, Vietnam proposed a collaborative initiative with Pakistan to stimulate confessional and cultural tourism, given their common Buddhist heritage.
The proposal was presented today by the ambassador of the Vietnam Pham Anh Tuan Embassy during a meeting with the Pakistani Minister of National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi.
The ambassador highlighted Vietnam’s civilization in Vietnam and the rich Buddhist history, stressing his commitment to preserving the tangible and intangible cultural heritage. “A journey of a thousand kilometers begins with a single stage,” he said, stressing that today’s meeting marks a crucial stride in friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
The Vietnamese official has offered several key areas of collaboration, including promoting Buddhist pilgrimage visits, cultural festivals and joint heritage projects. A concrete step advanced was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Taxila museum in Pakistan and the main Vietnamese museums, such as the National Museum of Vietnam and the Vietnamese History Museum in Ho Chi Minh.
The memorandum of understanding aims to facilitate traveling exhibitions which would present the rich Buddhist art and the heritage of the two countries. A cited example was a special exhibition entitled “Buddhist art along the Silk Road”, featuring taxula masterpieces alongside Vietnamese artifacts, offering a “window on the past” and a deeper appreciation of their interconnected stories.
The proposed partnership extends beyond the exhibitions to include the facilitation of the regular exchanges of conservatives, conservatives and archaeologists to share expertise in heritage management and preservation techniques.
Develop common programs for students, researchers and the public on Buddhist iconography, archaeological techniques and heritage conservation.
