As a member of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, Hanoi will carry out many specific tasks to realize six initiatives by 2025, according to the city's People's Committee.

The plan aims to garner attention and response from all levels, organizations and citizens to jointly support Hanoi in building a creative city.

Accordingly, the six-initiative plan has defined key tasks, including three at the local level: building the Hanoi Creative Design Center, developing and supporting creative spaces, and producing a television show on creative talents.

There are also three initiatives at the international level: Hanoi Creative Design Festival, organizing UNESCO Creative Cities Network Forum in Southeast Asia in 2023, and the Network of Creative Young Designers.

To fulfill the tasks, the city's relevant departments and local authorities to comply with the commitments made by the city when joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the UNESCO regulations, and the cooperation contents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam National Committee for UNESCO, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

A book street in Hanoi’s downtown. Photo: Nam Nguyen/The Hanoi Times

This year, Hanoi has stepped up its efforts to fulfill its commitments as a member of UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities, four years after joining the initiative. The goal is for Hanoi to become an innovation hub in Southeast Asia, with cultural resources and creativity as the foundation for sustainable urban development.

Hanoi has carried out long-term action plans to create a framework for building a creative city and to realize commitments with UNESCO, head of the UNESCO Office in Vietnam Christian Manhart said at an event held in late April to review Hanoi's performance after four years as a member of the network in the field of design.

Manhart underlined that Hanoi has a lot of room for design and creative activities thanks to the diversity of cultural heritage, traditional craft villages, and other cultural resources. He expressed his belief that Hanoi will maintain its role as an active member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to link with other partners in the network.

Do Dinh Hong, Director of the city's Department of Culture and Sports, said that after four years of promoting creative design in its cultural, economic and social development programs, Hanoi has achieved specific results.

Hong said Hanoi had taken firm steps to implement its initiatives and commitments to UNESCO. Throughout the implementation of creative activities, Hanoi looks to promote the participation of the whole society to tap into the creative potential from every walk of life, especially the youth.

"From now until 2025, Hanoi will implement many programs and projects to keep its commitments as a member of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network. The city will facilitate the field of creativity and design to reach new heights and raise awareness among the community on how to make Hanoi a creative city through step-by-step initiatives," Hong said.

He noted the participation of young people in creative activities. The city wants to find new and unique ideas for creative spaces and products. “The discovery of new and creative products would create the driving force for economic development and contribute to the realization of Hanoi as a creative hub of the region and the world."

The “UNESCO Creative Cities” network was established in 2004 to promote international cooperation among the recognized cities. With the latest designation, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network currently comprises 264 city members, which have invested in culture and creativity in music, traditional handicraft, design, literature, digital art, and cuisine as an accelerator of sustainable development.

Hanoi became a member of UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities in the “Design” category in October 2019, bringing the city to a new height and opening up opportunities to develop the cultural industry.