ASEAN creative cities share sustainable development initiatives

Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN’s UNESCO Creative Cities Network Conference in Hanoi took place at Hanoi Museum on November 18 with a focus on urban regeneration and sustainable development.

The event, held by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with the UNESCO Office in the city and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), was attended by over 100 Vietnamese delegates and 20 foreign ones from member cities of the network in ASEAN and the Asian cities cooperating with Hanoi.

It underlined the importance of culture and creation to urban development and life quality in ASEAN countries. Participants also discussed the solutions that the network member cities in the ASEAN Plus 3 region can take to capitalise on the resources of culture and creation in the face of many urban issues caused by rapid urbanisation and climate change.

At the conference, Hanoi shared its new development orientation and cooperation potential and opportunities in the field of design. It said that becoming a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network was a step for the city to establish its brand, popularise its image in all fields of cultural creation, and join the group of global cities with innovation-oriented development that matches the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Representatives from ASEAN countries and others in Asia also shared initiatives to make use of national resources for creation and urban development when their cities became members of the network. They discussed city-level cooperation opportunities to work towards sustainable development in the region.

Pham Thi Thanh Huong, head of the culture division at the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, said not only setting targets, UNESCO has also been promoting sharing among network members to turn cities into good living environments for residents.

UNESCO hopes that contributions by network members will be further expanded, and the cities will carry out different initiatives, share with other members, mobilise public and private resources, and connect experts and creators from local to international levels, she added.

The ASEAN’s UNESCO Creative Cities Network Conference in Hanoi aimed to provide an occasion for ASEAN countries to learn experience in cultural resources and creation from one another. It also encouraged cities in the bloc to become members of the network.

The event was also part of Hanoi’s actions since it joined the network in late 2019.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network, founded in 2004, aims to enhance cooperation among the recognised cities with creativity considered a strategic factor of sustainable development./.