The Hanoi Department of Trade on August 4 kicked off an exposition of fine arts and handicraft for exports, the very first kind ever held in the city, in the hope of finding new outlets for local craft makers.

Nearly 100 enterprises joined the Hanoi Fine Arts and Handicraft Week 2009, bringing over 400 products of all types, including pottery, rattan and bamboo goods, lacquer and pearl inlay items, stone sculptures, woodwork and paper arts to the show.

Products on display at the exhibition are mainly interior decorations and souvenirs which are designed to be a perfect combination of the traditional style typical of Vietnam and modern patterns that are favoured worldwide.

The first night of the exposition week attracted representatives of foreign diplomatic missions, organisations as well as importers, including the Canadian Arts and Association, the North American Consumers’ Association, the Buyers Market of American Craft (BMAC) and the Japan Association for the Promotion of Arts.

Potential buyers from the Republic of Korea , Mexico , India and the Philippines also flocked to the event.

The show week will include trade promotion seminars and fact-finding tours to production sites and craft villages around Hanoi .

The event is expected to help bring about more trade opportunities and new export markets to Vietnamese exporters of fine arts and handicraft whose businesses are facing mounting difficulties due to the global financial crisis./.