Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung and President of the European Union (EU) Handicrafts Council, Elisa Gudi, together with representatives of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, cut the ribbon, opening Hà Nội's exhibition area at the fair

The 27th Artigiano International Handicrafts Fair is taking place from December 2-10 at the Exhibition Centre in Milan, capital of the Lombardy region, Italy's largest economic and cultural centre, reported Vietnam News Agency.

The fair features nearly 2,600 businesses from 86 countries, including Vietnamese businesses.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng and President of the European Union (EU) Handicrafts Council, Elisa Gudi, along with representatives of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, cut the ribbon opening Hà Nội's display area at the fair. It is decorated with images and typical colours of traditional craft village products, handicrafts and OCOP products of Hà Nội - Việt Nam.

The display area has products from eight reputable and quality handicraft manufacturing enterprises of Hà Nội: Musa Pacta One Member Company Limited, Vietnam Handicraft Company Limited, Green House Cooperative, LV & Pearl Vien Dong Co., Ltd., HANHSILK Joint Stock Company, Nhat Minh Ceramics Trading and Services Co., Ltd., Minh Giang Craft 2 TV Co., Ltd., Trading Company Ltd. and Huong Anh handicrafts.

Display area for Vietnamese products at the fair.

Products on display are decorations, wall hangings, vases, vases, baskets, baskets made of banana fibre; gift products, kitchen utensils from bamboo, rattan, coconut, wood, mother-of-pearl mosaic, household products, lacquer decor; silk pillowcases, quilted silk blankets, sleeping blindfolds, face towels, bath gloves, bath towels, makeup remover sets, massage pods, scarves, silk face towels, silk towels, silk fabric; silk rings, vases, jars, trays, boxes, traditional lacquer; products from natural materials such as sedge and water hyacinth; ceramics; trays, boxes, coconut bowls, horn jewellery, jewellery, accessories and buffalo horn kitchen utensils.

In addition, a number of Vietnamese businesses also participated in the fair as independents, selling fruit jam, herbal tea, embroider, and ceramic lamps.

Vietnamese booths attracted many visitors and shoppers from the opening day. Vietnamese products are considered very characteristic, distinct, colourful and unique. Chairman and CEO of Gestione Fiere Company, the organiser of this fair, Antonio Intiglietta visited the display area and learned about typical Vietnamese items.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng, Director of the Rural Development Division, Standing Deputy Chief of the Hanoi New Rural Construction Programme Coordination Office Nguyễn Văn Chí and members of The Vietnamese delegation had a working session with Antonio Intiglietta, President and CEO of Gestione Fiere Company, organiser of the 27th Artigiano International Handicrafts Fair

At the reception and working session with Ambassador Hưng and members of the Vietnamese delegation attending the Fair, Antonio Intiglietta highly appreciated Việt Nam's return participation, emphasising the strengths of Vietnamese products which are ceramics and silk products. He also shared the results of his visit to Việt Nam in early 2023 and said he would continue to come to Việt Nam in the near future to coordinate and support Việt Nam to participate in the Craft Fair Artigiano international fine arts 2024.

Ambassador Hưng asked Antonio Intiglietta to share his experience in supporting countries attending the fair to achieve high efficiency, product selection, design support, promotion, and sharing information on market trends and tastes, wholesalers.

The two discussed a number of specific activities and preparations that need to be implemented in the near future regarding Vietnam's participation at the Fair in the following years.

Director of the Rural Development Division under Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of the Office for Coordinating the Hanoi New Rural Construction Programme, Nguyễn Văn Chí, said: "Hà Nội's handicraft display area Hà Nội - Việt Nam at this year's fair contributes to introducing images and information about craft villages, handicrafts, and OCOP products of Hà Nội - Việt Nam; promoting and introducing handicraft products, corporate brands, and traditional craft villages of Hà Nội - Việt Nam to the world market."

"This is also an opportunity to help businesses attending the fair grasp market needs, promote products, expand customer networks, as well as learn production experiences and improve designs of foreign businesses, abroad, thereby creating products with high value in quality and aesthetics, meeting the tastes of European consumers. In addition to displaying and introducing handicraft products, the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also has sightseeing activities and field surveys to learn from experience in making handicrafts."

Artigiano International Handicrafts Fair is a traditional, prestigious event, held annually with the participation of many product displays from France, Spain, Germany, Colombia, Japan, China, India, Indonesia... and many artisans, manufacturers, distributors, large retailers and food chains in Italy and countries around the world.

The largest festival of the world's handicraft businesses, held since 1996, is an ideal place for artisans from around the world to introduce their products and national characteristics.