A model shares photo session with lantern at the Japanese Bridge, an iconic symbol and destination of Hội An ancient town. The town has been organising the creative week from August 28 to September 2. — Photo courtesy of Ngọc Cẩm

HỘI AN – The ancient town has launched a map of art and creative space in connecting local artists, craftspeople, destinations and cultural relic sites on the digital platforms – QR Code, GPS and AI – in ongoing creative crafts and heritage communities.

The Hội An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre said the introduction of the digital technology-based map was developed with the support of the UNESCO Office in Việt Nam as part of the partnership between UNESCO and SOVICO Group.

A craftsman creates a hand-made product from bamboo at Cẩm Thanh Village, one of a creative village of Hội An ancient town. Many crafts have been preserved and innovated by local people in turning ancient trades profitable trades and tourism promotion. — VNS Photo Công Thành

It said the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site has been boosting the digital transformation of all innovative traditional crafts as effective tourism and marketing promotion for the town’s ancient trades and tourism industry.

The creative week, entitled: ‘Embrace Heritage, Inspire Creativity’, has been organised from August 28 through September 2 with a series of 20 arts and craft experience programmes as well as preservation dialogues and seminars.

It said the digital map aims to help local residents and tourists search for and explore unique creative value in the ancient town and crafts villages surrounding the Old Quarter of Hội An.

Pottery products are dried at a workshop in Thanh Hà Pottery Village in Hội An. Local potters have preserved the trade that had been rooted from the village more than 500 years ago. — Photo courtesy of Hội An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre

The heritage art exhibitions are displayed at the Hoài River Square, An Hội Sculpture Park and crafts villages of Kim Bồng carpentry, Thanh Hà pottery, Trà Quế vegetable garden, Cẩm Thanh nipa-palm, the Old Quarter and Chàm Islands.

A woman releases paper candle-lit flowers in a full-moon festival in the Hoài River in Hội An ancient town. The town is decorated by lanterns at night time in attracting tourists year around. — Photo courtesy of  Hội An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre

Hội An ancient town, which joined as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the Crafts and Folk Art category in 2023, has been developing and preserving traditional trades such as carpentry, terracotta, lantern-making, bamboo work, nipa-palm processing, garment production, and leather crafting.

Three out of five craft villages in the town have been promoted the national intangible heritage status.

A local craftswomen weaves hammock from tree bark strings on Chàm Islands, off the coast of Hội An ancient town. The craft has seen as an eco-tour attractive product and sustainable development of islanders. — VNS Photo Công Thành

Eight national heritage certificates were presented to the town, including the annual Nguyên Tiêu (full moon day of lunar January) Festival; Thanh Châu edible bird's nest, Thanh Hà Pottery Village and carpentry of Kim Bồng Village, the vegetable planting in Trà Quế Village, the mid-autumn Full Moon Festival (on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month), Chàm Islands’ hammock weaving from tree bark strings and making houses from bamboo and nipa palms in the Cẩm Thanh Commune. Folk arts in Hội An have been preserved as a consistent feature in traditional festivals and communal activities.

There are 1,700 households and 685 small-scale enterprises engaged in crafts and the performance of folk arts with about 4,000 labourers and craftsmen and women, the centre reported.

A rural view of Hội An ancient town. Craft villages and farming communities in Hội An create amazing attraction to domestic and international tourists for years. — Photo courtesy of The Field Restaurant

The old town, which was recognised as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999, has 1,439 relics and old houses, of which 80 percent belong to the Old Quarter, built between 100 and 200 years ago. — VNS