Bamboo is one of the world’s oldest and most precious building materials. It has played a prominent role throughout
the tropical and sub-tropical belts of Asia, as well as in South America and Africa. In addition to its multiple uses in many aspects of life, its availability and ecological virtues, bamboo, like other sources of human inspiration, plays an important role in both oral and written traditions.
These traditions form a vital part of the cultural identity of the regions and peoples concerned, especially those in the
process of social and economic transition. To encourage the adaptation of bamboo’s traditional uses to contemporary
life, UNESCO organized this seminar in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
A total of thirty-one participants (experts, representatives of research institutions, architects and observers) from some fifteen countries attended the seminar. They made concrete recommendations for governments of countries that produce and use bamboo, as well as for international organizations.

Japan Funds-in-Trust, $90,400