Drawing contest about Hanoi launched

A poster of the drawing contest (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Young artists will have an opportunity to show their talents and creativity through a drawing contest about Hanoi.

The contest will last from August 6 to September 9, aiming to promote the title "Hanoi - Creative City" awarded by UNESCO in 2019.

It is organised by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Human Settlement Program (UN-Habitat), and the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS) with the companionship of the Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG).

The contest is part of the Hanoi Rethink project initiated by UNESCO, UN-Habitat, and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with the support of SOVICO Group, to realise the city's commitments when joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

According to UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic may limit the movement of people, but it cannot stop the flow of creativity. The drawing contest about Hanoi welcomes unique ideas from different visual arts forms such as painting, drawing and design. Entrants can freely express a Hanoi behind their artistic lens and emotions.

The winner will be awarded a cash prize of 10 million VND (438 USD). There will be four co-winners for second place, one voting prize and 24 prizes for outstanding works.

Hanoi was designated as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on October 30, 2019.

The municipal Department of Culture and Sports said the Vietnamese capital became a new member of the network in the field of design. Although Hanoi is strong at many fields of creativity, it decided to apply for the status in terms of design since this area has wide coverage, is closely linked with other fields, and can reflect the city’s potential and strength in bringing into play its creativity.

It has met the standards for a creative city of design, including a developed design industry, multiple opportunities for creating designs from natural materials and conditions, and the presence of design groups with frequent activities.

The department said joining the UNESCO network is the first but significant step for Hanoi to raise its standing and create a new and more attractive image of the city.

Local authorities noted Hanoi is the political - administrative centre and a major hub in terms of culture, science, education, economy and international transactions of Vietnam. The city also boasts historical and cultural quintessence as seen through a number of national and international tangible and intangible cultural heritages, along with hundreds of traditional craft villages.

Additionally, it gathers talents and intellectuals from across the country in research centres, academies, universities and colleges, which is a favourable condition for it to receive and popularise knowledge and new technology which are important factors in the development of cultural and creative industries.

A total of 66 cities were designated as UNESCO Creative Cities on this occasion. Apart from Hanoi, the seven other creative cities of design are Asahikawa (Japan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Bangkok (Thailand), Cebu City (the Philippines), Muharraq (Bahrain), Querétaro (Mexico), and San José (Costa Rica).

“All over the world, these cities, each in its way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy,” says UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “This favours political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations.”

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

The network recognises seven factors - craft and folk arts, media, film, design, gastronomy, literature, and music - as creative fields.

The member cities that form part of the network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations. They work together towards a common mission: placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development./.