Cultural heritage protection project launched

THe Ministry of Planning and Investment and the French development agency (aFd) have launched a joint project for preserving and enhancing Lao heritage in Champassak and savannakhet provinces.

The ceremony for the signing of a financing agreement worth 2.64mil (RM12.6mil) for the Cultural Heritage Management, Preservation and Territorial attractiveness (Champa) Project was held at the Ministry of Planning and Investment on Wednesday.

The event was chaired by the deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, dr Kikeo Chanthaboury, and the Country director of aFd in Laos, Matthieu Bommier, and the French ambassador, Florence Jeanblanc-Risler.

It was attended by representatives of concerned line ministries, and officials of Champassak and savannakhet provinces, aFd and the French embassy.

dr Kikeo said, “aFd has been a long-standing development partner of the Lao PdR, providing a total of more than 150mil since 1994. The Champa Project is a welcome addition to the bilateral portfolio and further reinforces aFd’s position as one of the main contributors to the socio-economic development of the

Lao PdR, particularly in the area of cultural and heritage preservation.”

Vat Phou in Champassak, the second site in Laos to be classified as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2001, is located in southern Laos and is home to heritage treasures – archaeological, architectural, intangible and natural – that are still unknown to visitors.

Champassak district derives limited benefit from this cultural and natural capital, as a majority of visitors do not spend time there.

savannakhet, the most populated province in the country, is still not a popular tourist destination.

However, it has untapped potential based on a wide variety of historical attractions, including heritage treasures from the period of the sikhottaboon empire (from the 7th to the 10th century), which are not visible to the public today.

To popularise these attractions, aFd and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism have designed the Champa Project worth 6mil (RM28.7mil).

The project will be implemented by Lao authorities, including the World Heritage site office of Vat Phou and the department of Information, Culture and Tourism of savannakhet.