The Hanoi 2022 Creative Design Festival, the largest of its kind in Hanoi year to date, will last until November 20 with an array of cultural activities.

Delegates at the festival. Photos: Lai Tan/ The Hanoi Times

At the launching ceremony, Director of Hanoi’s Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong said the capital was named the City of Peace by UNESCO in 1999, and 20 years later, it officially joined the UNESCO’s network of Creative City in the category of design, a step deemed necessary for Hanoi's brand positioning in the development process.

“Over the years, Hanoi has further improved its foreign relations in a substantial manner and expanded cooperation with other cities and capitals in fields of cultural diplomacy, especially those in the UNESCO’s network of Creative City,” Hong said.

In parallel with such an effort, Hanoi has also been active in strengthening the linkage with other provinces/cities in promoting cultural development, he added.

For Hanoi to fulfill its commitments as a member of UNESCO's creative cities network, Hong said the city has carried out many activities to promote creative design during its cultural-economic-social development efforts.

Director of Hanoi’s Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong at the event.

He highlighted ongoing programs on preserving and promoting the city's heritage values, including cultural projects such as Thang Long Citadel, Ngo Quyen Temple, Co Loa Citadel, or those with unique landscapes which are iconic to Hanoi, contributing to the development of cultural tourism and promoting civilized urban and rural areas.

Hong also stressed the importance of implementing the Municipal Party Committee's resolution on developing the cultural industry in Hanoi in the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2030, saying the targets are in line with Hanoi's commitments as a UNESCO creative city.

Art performance at the event.

“The Hanoi 2022 Creative Design Festival delivers a message to the public, urging them to join hands in transforming Hanoi from a City for Peace to a Creative City,” Hong stressed.

Sharing Hong's view, UNESCO representative in Vietnam Christian Manhart said the event, with a series of activities including exhibitions, lectures and artistic performances, is an ideal opportunity for people to come together and honor the achievements of creativity.

Manhart added Hanoi with outstanding cultural values and creative people is possessing the huge potential to use creativity as the catalyst for socio-economic development.

According to him, creative individuals would be essential to contribute to the inclusive development of Hanoi that brings benefit for all.

Art performance at the festival.

The event draws the participation of 50 artists in exhibitions and art installations, 300 in art performances, and 40 speakers in conferences and roundtable discussions.