Spreading the values of Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám and Vietnamese culture at UNESCO Headquarters

On June 17, 2026, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, as part of a series of activities marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam–UNESCO relations (1976–2026) and the 950th anniversary of the founding of Quốc Tử Giám (1076–2026), the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, in coordination with the Hà Nội People's Committee and the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO, organized a cultural, artistic, exhibition, and heritage experience program themed "Quốc Tử Giám – Vietnam's First National University."

Attending the program on the Vietnamese side were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngô Lê Văn, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; Vietnamese Ambassador to France Trịnh Đức Hải; Ambassador and Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO Nguyễn Thị Vân Anh; Secretary-General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Lê Thị Hồng Vân; Vietnam Tourism Ambassador to France Anoa Dussol; Director of the Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities Lê Xuân Kiêu; and many other delegates. On the UNESCO side were Mr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO; UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Nayef Al-Fayez; President of the UNESCO General Conference Khondker Talha; and President of the UNESCO Executive Board Nasser bin Hamad Hanzab. The event attracted more than 200 delegates, including Ministers and Heads of Delegation of countries participating in the General Assembly of the 2003 Convention, as well as Ambassadors and representatives of more than 100 UNESCO member states.

The program introduced the outstanding values of the Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám heritage through a rich series of activities, including the Quốc Tử Giám exhibition, an artistic áo dài performance titled "Đạo Học," an introduction to Thăng Long – Hà Nội cuisine, and various heritage experiences. The exhibition recreated the process of formation and development of Vietnam's first national university, celebrating the tradition of reverence for learning and esteem for talent, while also showcasing the 82 Doctoral Steles — a World Documentary Heritage inscribed by UNESCO. The "Đạo Học" áo dài program honored Vietnamese educational values through designs inspired by cultural heritage and the virtues of "Nhân – Lễ – Nghĩa – Trí – Tín." In addition, the culinary space and experiential activities — including woodblock printing, printing of the Khuê Văn Các image, and an introduction to Đông Hồ folk paintings — offered visitors the opportunity to explore Vietnamese culture in depth.

The event not only contributed to promoting the image of Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám and Vietnamese culture on the international stage, but also further affirmed the effectiveness and depth of the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and UNESCO in the fields of culture, education, and heritage.