The Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has exhibited items produced under the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program and farm produce at the 28th Artigiano International Handicraft Fair in Milan, Italy, to export the city's handicraft products.

The "Hanoi-Vietnam" pavilion, covering an area of nearly 100 square meters, showcases handicrafts and rural products with export potential, including ceramics, embroidery, silk, rattan and bamboo, handbags, dried fruits of all kinds, and more.

The "Hanoi - Vietnam" pavilion in Milan, Italy. Photos: The Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Enrico Brambilla, Secretary General of APA Confartiginato Imprese Milano Monza e Brianza, appreciated Vietnam's participation, highlighting Vietnamese products with strengths such as ceramics and silk products, lacquers, gift products, and so on. "The association will coordinate and support Vietnam to participate in the Artigiano International Handicraft Fair in 2025," he said.

With the support of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, the Vietnamese delegation made field trips to several typical handicraft and food workshops in Milan, Rome, and other regions in Italy.

They also worked with the Vicenza City Handicraft Association and the fair organizers to understand the market needs for OCOP, handicrafts, and food products from Vietnam and foster trade cooperation in Europe.

The Vietnamese delegation visits some typical handicraft and food workshops in the city of Vicenza.

For the first time, Vietnam is showcasing its OCOP products at the world-renowned fair, displaying nearly a hundred OCOP-certified products and handicrafts with export potential from 20 enterprises and cooperatives, such as silk, lacquerware, ceramics, and leather products, as well as eco-friendly and recycled materials such as loofah and denim fabric.

Under the theme "Converging Values - Spreading Culture", Vietnam's pavilion integrates cultural promotion and highlights rural tourism. Visitors can taste products, watch multimedia presentations, and learn about OCOP products linked to the country's rich cultural tapestry. This approach aims to introduce Vietnam's iconic handicrafts and specialties to a wider European audience.

Many European visitors are interested in Vietnamese products at the fair.

The event also aims to create business opportunities in the Italian and European markets with a seminar on Vietnam-Italy handicraft cooperation, where speakers will share insights on their countries' respective strengths, consumer and aesthetic trends, and sustainable development practices, paving the way for future partnerships.  

Running from November 30 to December 8, the annual event features over 10,000 stalls and attracts nearly 2,800 companies from 90 countries around the world, showcasing the rich tapestry of global craftsmanship. The expo is expected to welcome more than one million visitors over 10 days.

Since its debut in 1996, the fair has been the global stage for artisans to showcase their products and cultural heritage. Participating since the early 2000s, Vietnamese companies have continued to strengthen their global market presence.

Hanoi's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has joined the fair to expand the export of the city's handicraft products.