The Festival for the Preservation and Development of Vietnamese Craft Villages 2023 will be held from November 9 to 12 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi.

A handicraft product from the Bat Trang Ceremic Village on the outskirts of Hanoi. Photo: Thu Hoa

According to Le Duc Thinh, Director of the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, the event aims to honor outstanding artisans and excellent workers, develop tourism products, and link artisan villages with businesses to promote sales.

The festival will feature an exhibition with 300 booths showcasing Vietnamese handicrafts and typical products from the national "One Community - One Product" program, as well as a wide range of activities, including a ceremony to honor excellent craftsmen, an opening ceremony with art performances, and an international workshop on "Preservation and Development of Craft Villages", among others.

In particular, the exhibition will be divided into separate display areas to showcase the typical handicraft products of Hanoi; the award-winning items of the 2023 Vietnam Handicraft Products Contest; and handicrafts from Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, and Russia.

A product of Ha Thai Lacquer Village, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there are currently more than 5,000 handicraft villages in the country, home to about 1.58 million artisans and craftsmen.

Among them, many of Hanoi's typical craft villages have a history of 500 to 1,000 years and produce unique handicrafts that are highly sought after by both locals and international consumers, such as Van Phuc Silk Village, Dong Ho Folk Painting Village, Bat Trang Ceramics Village, and others.