The UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will help Vietnam to complete dossier on the 72,000-hectare Cat Tien National Park to submit to the organization for recognition as world natural heritage, said Chief of UNESCO’s Hanoi Office Katherine Muller Marin. Katherine Muller Marin made the commitment during a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in Hanoi on Aug 30, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said late Aug 30. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is scheduled to submit the dossier at an UNESCO working session in Sept. The park, which was recognized by UNESCO as the world biosphere reserve in Aug 2005, is home to hundreds of species of fauna and thousands of rare flora. Vietnam owns eight out of 564 UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves in the world. Many Vietnmaese biosphere reserves like Kien Giang, Cat Ba, Cu Lao Cham and Can Gio are ideal destinaiton for foreing visitors, Nhan said. UNESCO has chosen Cat Ba biosphere reserve as the test model of educating sustainable development before expanding it to other countries. (vietnamplus.vn Aug 30, baodientu.chinhphu.vn Aug 30)
