Sophie Maysonnave, Counsellor for Cultural Cooperation and Activities at the French Embassy in Vietnam, said the centre is one of three pilot projects under a project named “Share and protect Vietnam’s heritage” which aims to celebrate 50 years of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and 10 years of their strategic partnership.
The project is like an invitation to explore the Cuc Phuong National Park and is a typical example of shared culture between Vietnam and France, she said.
Nguyen Van Chinh, Director of the Cuc Phuong National Park, said with the support of the French Embassy in Vietnam and leading experts in the field of museum and international media, the centre will become an attractive destination and ideal classroom about nature that attracts the interest of visitors and communities.
Visitors can learn about the rich ecosystem, flora and fauna; unique cultural features and traditions of indigenous people, he said, adding that items displayed at the centre are designed with the maximum use of local materials such as stone, wood and bamboo.
The “Share and protect Vietnam’s heritage” project was initiated by the French Embassy in Vietnam and sponsored by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, has a total funding of 18 billion VND (742,230 USD) for activities during 2022-2024 from the French Government and partners.
The project focuses on training museum staff, building training programmes on museum-related professions for Vietnamese universities, and helping develop pilot projects on heritage conservation in three regions of Vietnam. Specifically, the project will renovate the Tourist Centre of Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh, support the Environmental Education and Communication Centre in Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area in the central province of Quang Nam, and design and implement “Story Boxes” for museums in Ho Chi Minh City in the South.
Situated 120 kilometres from Hanoi, Cuc Phuong is Vietnam’s first national park, founded on July 7, 1962.
Covering 22,000 hectares of land in 14 communes of four districts in the three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, the national park boasts enchanting scenery and offers a stunning range of biodiversity.
It has long served as a research centre for many conservation organisations, both national and international.
According to surveys, Cuc Phuong has 2,234 floral species of 931 genera and 231 families. They include 430 species of medicinal plants and 229 species of edible plants as well as 57 species which are listed in the Vietnam Red Book of endangered species.
The Cuc Phuong National Park has been named “Asia’s Leading National Park” by the World Travel Awards for the fifth consecutive year in 2023.