The Department of Cultural Heritage was informed that only in a short time, a number of ranked relics in Hanoi suffered from thieveries of artifacts while the whole country was preventing and fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. This demonstrated the complexity of the situation.
Therefore, the Department of Cultural Heritage requests the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports to direct professional agencies coordinating with local authorities to provide information about artifacts for investigation and inventory artifacts at these relics as well as proposing measures to protect monuments.
The Department of Cultural Heritage also requests the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports to report to the City People’s Committee to direct the investigating agencies and related functional agencies to quickly search stolen artifacts and return them to these monuments; and clarify responsibilities of organizations and individuals for this situation.
Boi Khe Pagoda (Thanh Oai district) is one of the national relics whose antiques have been stolen recently. Photo by: Ho Ha
Previously, in the Official Dispatch No.2009/BVHTTDL-DSVH, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also asked the People’s Committees of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government to direct the Departments in charge of Cultural Management and People’s Committees of districts, cities and towns coordinating with the Fatherland Front Committees of the same level to intensify the propagation and dissemination of the law on cultural heritage; and organize extensive propaganda campaign among the local people to grasp the law on cultural heritage to mass organizations, associations and all people.
Especially regarding thievery of artifacts and antiques in relics, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requests the responsibilities of the People’s Committees of communes, wards and towns in protecting relics in the area and the mechanism of management coordination between the communal People’s Committees and the monument management organizations, or the persons assigned to look after the monuments to be specified. At the same time, strengthening patrols and guarding and installing protective equipment to detect and prevent acts of unauthorized access to monuments in a timely manner should also be done.
Along with that, it is required to regularly organize training and practicing to improve the management of monuments and projects on preservation, embellishment and restoration of monuments for relevant district and commune officials and people on duty of looking after the monuments; promote inspection and examination in protecting and promoting the value of local monuments; and resolutely resolve violations that affect the value of monuments.
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