On the evening of November 14, 2025, within the sacred space of the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the 2025 International Festival for Craft Village Conservation and Development officially opened. Photos courtesy of Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Environment

On the evening of November 14, within the sacred space of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, the 2025 International Festival for Craft Village Conservation and Development officially opened. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Hà Nội People’s Committee, the event marks a special milestone: the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the agriculture and environment sector (1945-2025); the celebration of the successful 18th Congress of the Hà Nội Party Committee (2025-2030 tenure); and the lead-up to the 14th National Party Congress.

The ceremony gathered a distinguished lineup of senior Vietnamese leaders and international guests, including Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Lê Minh Hoan; Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and President of the Vietnam Women's Union Nguyễn Thị Tuyến; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Võ Văn Hưng; along with leaders from various ministries and central agencies. Representing Hà Nội were Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Trung, Vice Chairman Nguyễn Mạnh Quyền, and leaders of provinces and cities nationwide. The event also welcomed Mr. Sundeep Kumar, Vice President of the World Crafts Council – Asia-Pacific Region; Ms. Jude van der Merwe, President of the Asia-Pacific Craft Alliance; Ms. Barbara Velasco Hermader, President of the World Crafts Council – Latin America Region; together with representatives from 30 countries and territories in the global handicraft sector, underscoring the international stature of this year’s festival.

Delegates press the ceremonial button to inaugurate the 2025 International Festival for Craft Village Conservation and Development.

Taking place from November 14 to 18 at the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center, the 2025 Festival features 350 booths showcasing, performing, and creating signature products from Hà Nội, Vietnamese localities, and international partners. The theme “Conservation – Development – Integration” is expressed through curated spaces: Conservation, Development, International Integration, OCOP, and Culinary Culture.

While rooted in the spirit of traditional craft villages, this year’s festival is further enriched by a vibrant “Flower Festival,” creating a unique artistic harmony. Radiant blooms, shaped by the skilled hands of artisans from around the world, form a tapestry that is both traditional and contemporary, conveying a message of culture and creativity-connecting to spread, integrating to grow.

A series of highlight activities run throughout the event: the Vietnam Handicraft Competition with nearly 500 entries; a ceremonial procession honoring craft founders and artisans; thematic seminars; an international exchange forum; exhibitions on craft village tourism, green economy, net zero, and digital transformation; and interactive spaces for artisans and artists worldwide.

Together, they transform the festival into a “global cultural forum” where craft excellence is shared, learned, and celebrated beyond borders.

Hà Nội has long been known as the “land of a thousand crafts,” home to more than 1,350 craft villages and craft communities, including 337 officially recognised craft villages. This heritage forms the foundation for the capital to become a creative hub of Việt Nam’s handicraft sector.

In 2024, Bát Tràng Ceramic Village and Vạn Phúc Silk Village were officially admitted to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Crafts and Folk Arts-the first Vietnamese representatives to receive this honor. At the 2025 Festival, the World Crafts Council continues evaluating Sơn Đồng and Chuyên Mỹ villages, raising expectations that Hà Nội may soon have more craft villages recognised on the global creative map.

Mr. Nguyễn Đức Trung, Deputy Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, delivers his remarks.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Trung affirmed that the festival “is not only a showcase of exquisite craftsmanship, but also a platform for exchange, learning, and commercial connection.”

He emphasised the value of OCOP culinary culture, where each dish is a “story of identity,” linking culture – people – nature. With a sustainable development strategy, Hà Nội continues its dual approach: preserving heritage while creating new values, advancing culture as a driving force for development.

Recalling the familiar folk verse “Nga Sơn mats, Bát Tràng bricks - Nam Định silk, Hà Đông lụa,” Deputy Minister Võ Văn Hưng highlighted the cultural depth of Vietnamese craft traditions. He stressed that handicraft products are not merely livelihoods but “the soul of the nation’s culture,” where each craft and each village represents “a cultural chapter, a symbol of its land.”

With around 600,000 production establishments providing jobs for 2.1 million workers-including many elderly artisans and people with disabilities-the rural craft sector plays an essential role in socio-economic life. Việt Nam’s handicraft export value reached more than US$2.3 billion in 2024, demonstrating the sector’s resilience and significant potential.

Deputy Minister Võ Văn Hưng affirmed that the 2025 Festival is not only a cultural-commercial celebration, but also a bridge for creative cooperation and sustainable development-helping enhance competitiveness, increase product value, and build a Vietnamese countryside that is “increasingly prosperous and civilised.”

Taking place from November 14 to 18, 2025 at the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center, the festival features 350 booths showcasing, performing, and creating signature products from Hà Nội, Vietnamese provinces, and international partners.

The 2025 Festival welcomes the presence of many long-standing craft cultures: Japanese ceramics, Thai silk, Lao silverwork, Indonesian brocade, Indian wood sculpture, French embroidery, and traditional African weaving. Each item stands as a “cultural ambassador,” carrying with it the stories of history, daily life, and creative spirit unique to each nation.

Spaces dedicated to honouring internationally recognised craft villages, along with heritage and conservation zones, lead visitors on a journey through the treasures of Vietnamese craftsmanship: Yên Thái dó paper, La Khê silk gauze, Kim Hoàng folk paintings, Định Công silver carving, and Bá Dương Nội kites-names that have become enduring symbols of Việt Nam’s artisanal pride.

With a scale of more than 4,000sq.m and the participation of thousands of artisans, entrepreneurs, experts, and international visitors, the festival stands out as a hallmark of people-to-people diplomacy, reaffirming Việt Nam’s foreign policy: “Proactive - Positive - Creative - A friend and reliable partner of the international community.”

Bát Tràng ceremonial cuisine knowledge-recently inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list-is introduced at the 2025 International Festival for Craft Village Conservation and Development.

Throughout its five days, the 2025 Festival serves as a bridge connecting past and present, bringing craftsmanship closer to the public and Vietnamese culture closer to global friends. At the opening ceremony, the organisers presented awards to outstanding creators in the Vietnam Handicraft Competition and the Hanoi Craft Village Competition 2025-artisans who continue to write the next chapters of the country’s rich craft heritage.

From the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel-where millennia of cultural layers converge-the festival sends a powerful message: preserving heritage is preserving the community’s collective memory, while creativity ensures that heritage continues to thrive in contemporary life.

The 2025 International Festival for Craft Village Conservation and Development not only honors traditional values but also envisions a future where culture, economy, and creativity converge-serving Việt Nam’s aspiration to integrate confidently and sustainably onto the world’s cultural map. VNS

* This article was developed in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment.