At the workshop (Photo: baoquocte.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - Hanoi should bring into full play its diverseheritage and consider its young, creative workforce as the centre ofdevelopment in the time ahead, a workshop on April 8 heard.
The “Creative City” workshop was jointly held by the UN Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Human Settlements Programme(UN-Habitat), and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with supportfrom the Savico Group.
Michael Croft, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam, stressed the significantrole of young people in the capital’s development.
Dr Nguyen Quang, UN-Habitat Programme Manager in Vietnam, cited figures from theUN and the General Statistics Office (GSO) in noting that Hanoi has been amongthe fastest-growing cities worldwide over the last six decades.
Between 1960 and 2019, its population increased 12.5-fold while its land area expanded22.1-fold. Of special note, its urban population had grown nine-fold as of lastyear compared with 1960.
About 40 percent of the local population are under 25 years of age, and aboutto hit a “golden population structure”, he said.
However, such advantages are not enough, Quang went on, emphasising thatauthorities need to facilitate innovation and promote cultural diversity.
Apart from special architectural facilities, the city boasts thousands ofheritages and up to 1,350 craft villages, which, participating delegates said, makethe city stand out.
Given the trend towards digitalisation, they suggested Hanoi and other urbanareas in Vietnam look towards smart cities where cultural heritages retaintheir differences and competitive edge.
Pham Thi Lan Anh, head of the heritage management bureau under the municipalDepartment of Culture and Sports, said Hanoi is committed to placing cultureand innovation at the core of its sustainable development, towards becoming aleading innovation centre in Southeast Asia./.
VNA
