US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak announced on June 3 a grant for US$74,500 for the government of Vietnam to preserve O Quan Chuong Gate, Hanoi’s last remaining ancient city gate.

O Quan Chuong Gate.

The project is funded through the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation and will be an important part of the 1,000^th anniversary of Hanoi’s foundation, which will be celebrated in 2010.

“The US is proud to provide $74,500 to fund the restoration and preservation of a stunning but crumbling structure, the O Quan Chuong Gate,” said the US ambassador. “2010 will be an important year for all of us. Not only will it mark the 1000^th anniversary of the city of Hanoi, but it also marks the 15^th anniversary of the resumption of bilateral relations between the US and Vietnam. The gate will stand as an important emblem of both occasions.”

O Quan Chuong Gate, the only ancient gate that remains in the capital city of Hanoi, was built in 1749 during the Le Dynasty. The gate has suffered from the ravages of time, neglect, war, and urban expansion that destroyed the other 15 original city gates, and is in desperate need of restoration.

With the US grant, Vietnamese restoration experts will work for several months to repair damaged sections and to strengthen the gate’s foundation. They will also repair and consolidate adjacent sewage systems to ensure a firm foundation for the gate.

The Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation was established by the US Department of State in 2001 to help less developed countries preserve cultural heritages and to demonstrate US respect for other cultures. Since then, the fund has supported more than 500 cultural preservation projects worldwide, including nine projects in Vietnam, totalling more than $16 million.

PV