Hanoi harnesses “soft power” of culture in development

A walking street in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Since joining the UNESCOCreative Cities Network in the “Design” category in 2019, Hanoi has organised amultitude of activities relating to design and creativity.   

The capital city has participated in the networkwith the aim of turning cultural resources and creations into the foundation forits sustainable urban development, said Director of the municipal Department ofCulture and Sports Do Dinh Hong.

The membership has helped the city set out new objectivesfor cultural development, inspire creativity and envision its new brand in theinternational arena, he continued.   

Over the past four years, Hanoi has coordinated withrelevant sides to launch many creativity-based contests for people from allwalks of life, especially youths, which have contributed to its urbanconstruction and sustainable development.

Notably, walking streets, including those aroundHoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the capital, the Son Tay ancient citadel, andthe Dao Ngoc-Ngu Xa neighbourhood, stand as vital hubs for leisure andrecreation, catering to both tourists and locals.

The city has launched various exhibitions held at the HanoiMuseum, the UNESCO-recognised Thang Long imperial citadel, and the VanMieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature Complex), and created many culturaland creative spaces such as the digital exhibition marking the 500th deathanniversary of Italian painter Raphael (1483-1520), and an exhibitionthemed “Fabric scraps” displaying artworks made by the disabled.

An outstanding example is the Hanoi CreativeDesign Festival 2023 held last November with 60 events and activities, which served as a platform for the exchangeand display of creative activities in various areas in the city.

Gia Lam train factory - a highlight of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi has always paid attention to internationalcooperation in this regard as reflected through its organisation of manyseminars and workshops on creative cities and cultural industry at home andabroad, as well as its participation in similar events.

The city will launch more creative activities,focusing on its heritage elements, to create a foundation for its sustainable development,while stepping up communications work to promote creativity among thepublic.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identifiedcreativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

Almost 300 cities around the world which currentlymake up this network work together towards a common objective: placingcreativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans atthe local level and cooperating actively at the international level./.

VNA