Meeting to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department
On the afternoon of 7 December, the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department held a commemorative meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department (9 December 1995 – 9 December 2025).
Attending the event were Comrade Trần Như Long, Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Quảng Ninh Provincial People’s Committee; the leadership of the Department; former leaders of the Department across different periods; and all officials, public employees and workers of the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department.
Overview of the commemorative meeting
In 1994, Hạ Long Bay was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a World Natural Heritage site. Nearly one year later, on 9 December 1995, the Hạ Long Bay Management Department was officially established as a specialized agency under the Quảng Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, responsible for the comprehensive management of conservation, restoration, preservation and promotion of the values of Hạ Long Bay.
The commemorative meeting was filled with emotion as representatives of successive generations of the Department’s leadership reflected on the 30-year journey—from the early formative days marked by numerous hardships and challenges, yet also imbued with pride and honour in fulfilling the noble mission of safeguarding a World Heritage site.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Former Director of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department, delivering his speech at the ceremony.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Tuấn, the first Director of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department, shared heartfelt memories of the Department’s early years, when operations began under extremely difficult conditions. As the 30-year milestone closes one chapter and opens another in the digital era, Hạ Long Bay now stands at a new position with new responsibilities—from the sacred mountains of Yên Tử, across the poetic waters of Hạ Long Bay, and extending to the Bái Tử Long National Park. He expressed his firm confidence that, with a highly qualified, dedicated and dynamic leadership and workforce, the protection and promotion of the Heritage’s values will continue to achieve new and greater successes.
On 10 November 2025, the Quảng Ninh Provincial People’s Committee issued the decision to establish the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department through the reorganization and consolidation of the former Hạ Long Bay Management Department, the Bái Tử Long National Park Management Department (under the Provincial People’s Committee), and the Department of Monuments and Scenic Sites (under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism). This strategic restructuring marks a significant step towards integrated, specialized and elevated heritage management in the new era of national development.
Mr. Mai Vu Tuan, Director of the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department, delivering his speech at the ceremony.
In the solemn, warm and meaningful atmosphere of the gathering, Mr. Mai Vũ Tuấn, Director of the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department, affirmed:
“We can take pride in the many outstanding achievements over the past 30 years: heritage conservation and management have been implemented in a synchronized and effective manner; the Outstanding Universal Value of Hạ Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage site has been well preserved; scientific research and international cooperation have made significant progress; the promotion of heritage values in association with sustainable tourism has been strengthened, making Hạ Long Bay a global symbol of Vietnam’s tourism; and the organizational structure and human resources have steadily grown in both quantity and quality—from just over a dozen staff members in the early days to a professional, dedicated and deeply committed workforce today. Over these 30 years, Hạ Long Bay has continued to be honoured with prestigious international titles, including World Natural Wonder and Vietnam’s first inter-provincial World Heritage site. It can be affirmed that at every stage of Hạ Long Bay’s development, there has always been the quiet yet steadfast contribution of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department.”
Throughout the past 30 years, as the specialized agency responsible for heritage management, successive generations of officials, public employees and workers of the Hạ Long Bay Management Department, now the Hạ Long Bay – Yên Tử World Heritage Department, have continued to carry forward the legacy of protection and conservation with a profound sense of responsibility and pride—ensuring that the beauty and values of this natural wonder remain intact for today and for future generations.