Bringing heritage into life.

Many new ideas that bring local heritage closer to everyday life have been developed by young people in Hoi An, demonstrating practicality and high feasibility.

The organizers presented certificates to trainees who completed the course on the evening of August 4th. Photo: QT

Innovation based on local resources.

Ideas for bringing heritage closer to everyday life were developed by young people in Hoi An as part of the "young leadership training" component.

This component, which attracted over 50 local students, is a key activity within the project “Promoting Innovation for Youth and Communities,” funded by UN-Habitat and Fondation Botnar.

The program aims to realize the goal of developing Hoi An into a creative, inclusive, and people-centered city.

Implemented over 5 weeks, the component's training framework comprises four main pillars: Global citizenship mindset linked to local knowledge; outstanding leadership; project management skills for students; and community communication skills.

An interesting commonality among the components is that all 14 solutions implemented by young people in Hoi An are closely linked to the local heritage.

Centuries-old heritage sites such as Kim Bong carpentry village, Thanh Ha pottery village, and Bai Choi folk singing have been given a fresh start by Generation Z, the generation that will be the owners and developers of these heritage sites in the future.

Ultimately, the project that received the highest rating was "Kim Bong Travelogue". This is an idea for developing a community-based tourism model and creative communication, connecting experiences at Kim Bong Woodworking Village and the Cam Kim area into a continuous journey for tourists.

A unique aspect of the proposal is the idea of ​​a flood season tourism tour for the Kim Bong area, along with the preparation of local specialties, sedge mats, and the design of promotional brochures as a genuine tourism product.

Second prize went to "Touching Leaves, Touching Healing," a project proposing cultural tourism solutions for traditional medicine in Hoi An, integrating knowledge-sharing workshops, health consultations, and experiential tourism activities where participants create their own health-beneficial herbal products under the guidance of traditional medicine practitioners.

Third prize went to "Neo Chòi," with "Neo" symbolizing the meaning of "new" in the Greek language. The idea proposed a digital library solution for storing Bài Chòi lyrics and a research direction for interpreting traditional Bài Chòi lyrics into modern language. It also suggested souvenir products or items for restaurants and hotels to promote both traditional and modern Bài Chòi lyrics to the community and tourists.

Mr. Phan Xuan Thanh, General Director of Emic Hospitality Hoi An Co., Ltd., and a member of the judging panel for this component, commented that most of the student groups knew how to create a financial plan for their projects and understood the need to integrate sustainable development into their long-term roadmap.

Some of the young people's ideas are very practical, even commercially viable, and highly feasible for replication throughout the city.

Continuing expectations

Post-program surveys of participants showed that the multilateral cooperation model and the structure centered on global citizenship skills, based on indigenous knowledge, and guided by empowerment and peer support yielded positive results.

The most highly-rated project was "Kim Bong Travelogue" - with the idea of ​​developing a community-based tourism model and creative communication, connecting experiences at Kim Bong Woodworking Village and the Cam Kim area into a continuous journey. Photo: QT

Nearly 79% of learners believe they have improved their teamwork skills. Other skills that also improved significantly include effective communication, critical thinking, self-awareness, and emotional management.

Many participants expressed their fondness for the "Magical Leaders" training framework because it helps them develop emotional self-management skills, presentation skills, and become more confident in leading themselves and their teams.

The expected outcome of this component is that, after the program, participants will have the opportunity to join the Hoi An Youth Innovation Club.

This serves as a springboard for young people to further develop potential projects and translate them into concrete real-life solutions.

Mr. Le Quoc Viet, Chairman of the Quang Nam Destination Club for Preserving Local Values, believes that many ideas have exceeded expectations for teenagers.

We need support and suggestions for business resources and investors to help develop the innovative ideas of young people into real business models.

Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Cam, Deputy Director in charge of the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, said that all stakeholders had made great efforts to ensure the program ran smoothly despite the difficulties and limitations in resources due to its implementation coinciding with the end of the district-level government's organizational structure.

The program's success also opens up prospects for building a public-private partnership model, aimed at developing human resources so that Hoi An continues to be a hub of creativity, innovation, and global cultural exchange.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/dua-di-san-vao-doi-song-3298748.html