United States Funds Preservation of Rare Objects at Nam Dinh Museum

Hanoi - July 30, 2008

In a ceremony at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak presented a grant for US$ 30,000 today to officials of the Nam Dinh Provincial Museum to restore and preserve a valuable collection of wooden religious objects. This grant was provided through the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

This restoration project will allow Nam Dinh Provincial Museum to preserve 57 carved wooden objects and to enhance the training and skill level of the museum staff. The pieces, dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, were collected by the museum staff over the years and reflect a golden age of Vietnamese artistry. A key centerpiece of the Museum's collection, they have been badly damaged over time so their restoration comes at a critical time.

The Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) was established by the U.S. Department of State in 2001 to help less developed countries preserve cultural heritage and to demonstrate U.S. respect for other cultures. Since then, the AFCP has supported more than 400 cultural preservation projects worldwide, including eight projects in Vietnam, totaling $11.3 million.