Hanoi to Enhance the Value of Craft Village Products to Toward Export

2:05:10 PM | 10/28/2024

To integrate, develop, and export handicraft products, Hanoi has signed a cooperation agreement with the World Craft Council to sustainably develop craft villages. In addition to promoting traditional values, Hanoi's craft villages also need to absorb and create new product designs suitable to the culture and tastes of developed countries. From there, promote the export of handicraft products to the world, and enhance the value of the capital's craft village products.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen receives the delegation of the World Craft Council

Recently, the International Jury of the World Craft Council spent a week working in Vietnam to survey and evaluate the traditional ceramic craft village of Bat Trang and the silk weaving village of Van Phuc in Hanoi to nominate them to become members of the Global Creative Craft Cities Network.

Accordingly, the International Jury of the World Craft Council (WCC) includes Mr. Aziz Murtazaev, Chairman of the World Craft Council for the Asia-Pacific region (APR); Dr. Sitthichai Smanchat, Vice President of the Crafts Council for Southeast Asia; and Ms. Nadia Meer, Vice President of the World Crafts Council for Africa.

Promoting policies for developing craft villages in Hanoi

After a week of surveying the craft villages: Bat Trang Ceramics, Van Phuc Silk Weaving, Phu Vinh Bamboo and Rattan Weaving, Non Chuong and working sessions with the Department of Economic Cooperation and Rural Development, Hanoi People's Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bat Trang Commune People's Committee (Gia Lam) and Van Phuc Commune People's Committee (Ha Dong), Mr. Aziz Murtazaev, Chairman of the World Craft Council in the Asia-Pacific region expressed his sincere thanks for the warm and respectful reception of the leaders of the Department of Economic Cooperation and Rural Development of Vietnam, leaders of Hanoi People's Committee, leaders of Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, leaders of localities and many artisans, entrepreneurs and production and business entities in the places where the delegation conducted surveys and assessments. With the responsible and effective coordination of relevant organizations and individuals, the delegation completed the working program in Vietnam, contributing to concretizing the committed goals between the Hanoi People's Committee and the World Craft Council signed a cooperation agreement in 2023. During this survey trip, the delegation members had a panoramic view of the two craft villages and were truly impressed with the history, traditions as well as artistic values that the artisans here preserve. Hanoi has great potential for developing craft villages and should consider this as one of the priorities in the development orientation. In the coming time, the city will increase investment and promotion so that Hanoi's products are more widely known in the international market. Mr. Aziz Murtazaev emphasized.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dai, Director of Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, presents a souvenir to the World Craft Council.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Chi, Head of the Hanoi Rural Development Department, the working group surveyed and evaluated the criteria to consider recognizing Bat Trang Pottery Village (Gia Lam district) and Van Phuc Silk Village (Ha Dong district) as members of the World Creative Craft Cities Network. The World Craft Council assessed that Bat Trang pottery village not only fully meets the criteria of a traditional craft village but also deserves to become a member of this network. At the same time, the Council also recognized the unique values of Van Phuc silk-weaving village, especially its cultural depth and development history.

With its strengths, in the coming time, the World Craft Council is committed to actively accompanying Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general in the goal of preserving and sustainably developing craft villages, and promoting the construction of cultural industries. To further enhance the promotion and preservation of handicraft products of Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular, based on observations and best practices globally, Mr. Aziz Murtazaev made the following recommendations: First, International cooperation: Promote stronger international cooperation by participating in global art fairs and exhibitions. Establish stronger policies to support artisans and organize international festivals in each craft village. The festival needs to be international with scientific seminars. Organize an international festival in November 2025 with 80 countries and 500 delegates who are mayors of Art Cities to build close economic and cultural relationships. 2. Support innovation and modernization: Access to innovation and the application of modern techniques can help Vietnamese handicrafts become more competitive in the global market. Encouraging artisans to incorporate modern design elements without losing authenticity can increase the appeal of Vietnamese handicrafts. Proposal Mr. Do Van Hien, an artisan from Van Phuc village, was recognized by the Government for his creation of the digital brocade card. 3. Education and knowledge transfer programs: Introduce specialized education programs focused on imparting traditional craft skills to the younger generation. These initiatives can ensure the sustainability of these practices while attracting new talent to the sector. 4. Economic incentives for artisans: Creating specific policies for artisans such as tax exemptions or subsidies can help promote production and innovation in the sector. Improve tourism infrastructure, and establish a craft village museum in Van Phuc.

Hanoi identifies craft villages as one of its development strengths.

Intending to preserve and sustainably develop Hanoi's craft villages, in recent years, the city has implemented many specific solutions such as developing 9 creative design centers, introducing, promoting and selling OCOP products, craft villages associated with tourism; piloting 6 rural tourism models, craft village tourism; completing and approving the Plan for preserving and developing traditional craft villages combined with tourism for the two silk weaving villages of Van Phuc (Ha Dong district) and Bat Trang ceramics village (Gia Lam district)... In particular, Hanoi is focusing on strongly developing industrial clusters to attract production facilities and business households out of residential areas, overcoming environmental pollution and fires in craft villages. Up to now, the city has 70 industrial clusters in operation and 43 industrial clusters under implementation.

Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen said that Hanoi currently has 1,350 craft villages, accounting for 56% of the total number of craft villages in the country, and affirmed that Hanoi identifies craft villages as one of its development strengths. The development of craft villages has helped bring Hanoi's and Vietnam's culture to the world, to exchange with other countries; thereby affirming that in any context, Vietnam is a country with an extremely unique culture. The Vice Chairman hopes that the World Craft Council will support Hanoi in realizing the goal of sustainable development of craft villages, ensuring that people can not only make a living from their craft but also become rich thanks to traditional crafts. Regarding some recommendations from the World Craft Council delegation, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen commented:

Regarding the invitation for city leaders and Hanoi artisans to attend the 2025 International Craft Village Festival in Uzbekistan, Hanoi will send a delegation to participate in the event in the same world to demonstrate the spirit of cooperation. Hanoi considers this an opportunity to connect trade and find markets for Vietnamese craft village products, contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam - Country - People.

In the immediate future, in 2024, consider this status for Bat Trang ceramic village and Van Phuc silk weaving village. As well as the Council's support in organizing craft villages combined with international trade promotion exchanges at traditional festivals of these two localities and craft village festivals of the city with different scales.

In the plan to preserve and develop craft villages in the city, Hanoi is coordinating with a French consulting unit to restore the craft village conservation space in Bat Trang and Van Phuc as museums to preserve the tangible and intangible culture of craft village development in the two localities. This includes restoring ancient product samples and cultural relics through the periods related to the formation and development of craft villages. Thereby, creating attractions for tourists to visit, research, and learn about craft villages.

Hanoi identifies attracting high-quality human resources and skilled young human resources to participate in craft development as the soul of craft villages in the context of integration and innovation today. From there, it raises the issue of having good policies on attracting investment, valuing talents, and connecting and expanding markets to create sustainable prosperity for craft villages and craftsmen. Hanoi has an industrial promotion center to support craft villages and craft village artisans. Hanoi has been forming small and medium-sized industrial clusters in localities with crafts to promptly support infrastructure for craft villages to develop.

In the coming time, Hanoi will synchronously deploy solutions to preserve and develop craft villages by new development requirements. In that direction, Hanoi hopes that the World Craft Council, with its strengths, will actively accompany and share experiences to help Hanoi organize the International Craft Village Festival in 2025, associated with trade connection activities, promoting common prosperity in this field. In particular, in the process of building the Craft Village Innovation Center of the city and localities, Hanoi requests the World Craft Council to provide technical support.

Assign the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to be the focal point for regular coordination, keeping in touch, updating, and exchanging cooperation information between Hanoi City and the World Craft Council. Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, based on current regulations, consults and submits to the City appropriate policies to promote the preservation and development of craft villages in general, policies on artisans, skilled workers, and people with special achievements in preserving the quintessence of Vietnamese craft villages such as the case of artisan Do Van Hien in Van Phuc, Ha Dong, Hanoi.

Some pictures of the World Craft Council in craft villages in Hanoi