On November 2, 2024, at the 5th floor hall of the Four Points By Sheraton Lang Son Hotel, Lang Son Geopark Management Board, in collaboration with LIXIL Vietnam - a subsidiary of LIXIL Corporation (headquartered in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan with four brands in Vietnam: GROHE, INAX, American Standard, and TOSTEM, 11 factories, over 3,000 employees and more than 8,000 stores nationwide) organized the Architectural Design Contest for the Community House & Homestay Project in Lang Son Geopark. This event was part of the LIXIL Talent Match - A&D Internship & Talent Development Program, with the participation of 160 representatives various government agencies, businesses, vocational schools, Lang Son Geopark partners, Lang Son Provincial Center for Continuing Education, Informatics and Foreign Languages; representatives some homestays and Lang Son Geopark partners; national media correspondents based in Lang Son Province; Lang Son Newspaper; Lang Son Radio and Television; LIXIL Vietnam; Kien Viet Media Company; AfA Design Company; HAAD Architecture Company; AVANT Architecture Company and Lang Son Geopark Management Board. The top 30 students in the Talent Development Program universities including Hanoi University of Architecture, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering and the University of Industrial Fine Arts also participated in the contest. The judging panel awarded prizes to the top three groups. Additionally, attendees participated in a Kahoot quiz on Lang Son Geopark.

The contestants presented their designs for the Community House & Homestay in Lang Son Geopark.

Delegates explore the design of the Community House & Homestay in the Lang Son Geopark area.

Delegates explore the design of the Community House & Homestay in the Lang Son Geopark area.

The Organizing Committee awarded the first prize to the group with the best design for the Community House & Homestay in Lang Son Geopark.

Contestants took souvenir photos with the Organizing Committee and the judging panel.

The contestants visited Site 35: Lake Lifetime Window in Na Duong basin, Loc Binh District (Lang Son Geopark Tourism Route No. 4).

The contestants surveyed the proposed site for the Rest Stop in Lang Son Geopark, Loc Binh District (Lang Son Geopark Tourism Route No. 4).

Following the contest, the two sides continued to maintain contact and arranged a meeting to discuss cooperative programs for the construction and development of Lang Son Geopark in 2025, introducing the awarded Community House & Homestay designs the LIXIL Talent Match Contest to the local community and potential investors.

On November 4, 2024, Lang Son Geopark Management Board organized a working group to meet with Mr. Martin Rama, an economic planning expert (He previously worked at the World Bank’s South Asia Economic Office and July to December 2010, he held the position of Acting Chief Economist for the region. For the eight years prior, Martin served as the Chief Economist for the World Bank in Vietnam. In this role, he oversaw the World Bank's analytical program in areas related to economic policy and poverty reduction, preparing the annual Vietnam Development Report), AfA Design Company, and HAAD Architecture Company. The parties discussed the overall development of Lang Son Geopark, aiming to become a UNESCO Global Geopark.

Lang Son Geopark Management Board working group took souvenir photos with the experts.

November 5 to 6, 2024, Lang Son Geopark Management Board collaborated with Vietnam Expeditions Company (Vietnam Expeditions Joint Stock Company, also known as Vietnam Expeditions, is an adventure tourism company specializing in providing unique and safe tours to Vietnam's most pristine and mysterious locations) and Member of the American Speleological Association and Hanoi Caving Club to introduce Lang Son Geopark, Vietnam Expeditions Company, and the American Speleological Association, and discuss cooperation methods; they also surveyed Khuon Bong Cave in Khuon Bong village, Vu Le commune, Bac Son district, and Water Cave in Yen Thinh commune, Huu Lung district, to evaluate and promote plans for developing cave tourism in Lang Son Geopark.

Lang Son Geopark Management Board works with Vietnam Expeditions Company and Member of the American Speleological Association.

An expert the American Speleological Association conducted a survey of Khuon Bong Cave in Khuon Bong village, Vu Le commune, Bac Son district.

An expert Vietnam Expeditions conducted a survey of Khuon Bong Cave in Khuon Bong village, Vu Le commune, Bac Son district.

A leader Lang Son Geopark Management Board conducted a survey of Khuon Bong Cave in Khuon Bong village, Vu Le commune, Bac Son district.

Survey team of Water Cave, Yen Thinh Commune, Huu Lung District.

            After the survey, Lang Son Geopark Management Board, in coordination with Vietnam Expeditions Company, will continue to maintain contact and arrange a working program in Hanoi, inviting several companies specializing in sport climbing and trekking to participate. They will also continue surveying caves with potential for adventure tourism, rock climbing, and trekking in Lang Son Geopark, scheduled for late November or early December 2024. A survey and exploration of some caves in Lang Son Geopark region with international speleological experts is planned for February 2025.

Lang Son Geopark Management Board