Festival preserves values of Vietnamese craft villages

The Vietnam Craft Villages Festival 2023 will take place in Hanoi from October to November to preserve and promote the values of traditional craft villages, the organising board said at a press conference on September 26.

The event will be co-organised by the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A wide range of activities are on schedule, including a ceremony to honour excellent craftsmen, an opening ceremony, an art programme, an international exhibition introducing craft products and those under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, and an international workshop on preservation and development of craft villages.

Thang Long Imperial Citadel will host major events on November 9-12.

Particularly, the MARD will organise a Vietnamese handicraft product contest to encourage development of products with high applicability and meeting criteria for sustainability during the international integration process. It aims to preserve the identity of Vietnamese craft villages, while enhancing products’ values and improving workers’ income.

According to Director of the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development Le Duc Thinh Chuc, the festival creates an opportunity to honour standout craftsmen and excellent workers, develop tourism offerings, and connect craft villages with businesses to promote consumption.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ta Van Tuong said that Hanoi will host seven events of the festival, including a Van Phuc craft village culture-tourism and trade week, an event to introduce the southern region’s OCOP products, and a Hanoi autumn festival.

Furthermore, the Hanoi Gift Show 2023 as well as visits to Hanoi craft villages such as Bat Trang, Van Phuc and Duong Lam will be arranged within the framework of the festival./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency