Hanoi (VNA) – The 2025 International Craft Village Conservation and Development Festival opened in Hanoi on November 14, drawing representatives from over 30 countries and territories, along with thousands of artisans, experts, and creators at home and abroad in a five-day celebration of traditional craftsmanship.
Co-hosted by the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Centre, the municipal People’s Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the festival blends a Flower Festival with a Craft Village Festival across a 4,000 sq.m venue.
Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Trung, in his speech, hailed the five-day festival as not only a major socio-economic-cultural event, but also a bridge connecting the quintessence of the past with today’s aspirations, showcasing Hanoi’s creative stature on the global stage.
It is a vivid proof of the city’s push to both preserve heritage and create new values, transforming culture into an internal strength and a driver of sustainable development.
It serves as both a showcase for exquisite products and a platform for exchange and commercial connection. Vietnamese and foreign artisans can enjoy and experience Vietnam’s One Commune, One Product (OCOP) culinary culture.
A highlight is the ongoing evaluation by the World Crafts Council to grant UNESCO Creative Cities Network status to Son Dong and Chuyen My craft villages. If approved, Hanoi would boast four villages in the network, joining Bat Trang pottery and Van Phuc silk, cementing its reputation as a global hub of creativity, integration, and craft culture, Trung added.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung praised Vietnam’s artisans for preserving national identity while adapting traditions to produce high-value goods competitive on world markets.
Over the remaining four days, the festival venue will transform into a global cultural hub, fostering connections, inspiration and cross-border creativity among artisans, researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers focused on craft preservation, development and craft-village economy.
The gathering has drawn keen interest from international organisations, diplomatic missions, foreign embassies, business executives, scholars, collectors, art enthusiasts, and global audiences.
This year’s edition spans multiple dedicated zones, including an area spotlighting globally and regionally recognised craft villages, and a heritage-and-conservation section featuring signature Vietnamese traditions such as Yen Thai paper making, La Khe silk weaving, Kim Hoang folk paintings, Dinh Cong silver craftsmanship and Ba Duong Noi kite-making, alongside other leading craft villages from across the country.
Organisers have created specialised displays on craft village tourism, green economy models, net-zero strategies and digital transformation, plus an international exchange zone where folk arts intersect with live music, performances and distinctive regional OCOP culinary experiences.
A packed lineup of academic and investment-focused events is also scheduled, including an international seminar on craft village conservation and development in the green and digital age, a trade and investment promotion workshop, a Vietnam handicrafts contest, and a fair showcasing Hanoi craft villages and certified safe agricultural products./.
