Proceedings from the Symposium which included Vietnamese scholars and representatives from Japan, the Netherlands, USSR, Poland, France, USA, Thailand, and Australia. Hoi An (Faifo) was a famous port town of Vietnam in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which had trade relations with Japan and China in the North, with Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Siam, Malacca, Java, Manila and European countries such as Portugal, Holland, France and England.

Hoi An was also a center of extensive cultural interaction which was reflected in the unique outlook and cultural mosaic in the town. Historically speaking, Hoi An inherited the cultural heritage of the ancient Sa Huynh and Champa.

The symposium covered the history and archaeology of the region, the methods of conservation and restoration, and discussed at length the characteristics and values of the remains of the ancient town.