Creative City – Development Driving Force for Hanoi Capital

Hanoi is the first city in Vietnam to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture andEducation , the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not just a title, but a strong call for innovation and creativity. In a rapidly changing world, the honored cities are constantly exploring and asserting themselves as centers of creativity, where new ideas are constantly emerging and developing.

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly 's Committee on Culture and Education.

“UNESCO encourages cities not only to seek economic opportunities, but also to build strong and vibrant communities . By sharing experiences and best practices, cities in the network open up a new path for global cooperation, mutual learning and sustainable development. Each city, with its own unique cultural heritage, not only preserves but also revives cultural values, making them a source of inspiration for future generations,” Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son emphasized.

The show “Quintessence of the North” was performed right on the surface of Dinh Lang Da Phuc Lake, Quoc Oai, Hanoi, and is the first “live” stage in Vietnam, to honor the beauty of national culture.

However, the rapid development of urbanization and globalization is posing challenges in maintaining cultural identity, preserving heritage and balancing tradition and modernity.

The city recognizes the need for a new development strategy to not only preserve cultural values but also promote creativity in new areas. Therefore, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is an ideal choice to connect Hanoi with other creative cities around the world.

This leads to the next difficulty: Which creative city model will Hanoi follow in the 7 categories of UNESCO models, including: handicrafts and folk arts, design, cinema, cuisine, literature, multimedia arts and music? Instead of choosing the easy path, Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son and a number of experts have chosen a different approach to create a uniqueness for Hanoi and position the capital's brand.

“The title of City for Peace has been the pride of Hanoi for the past 20 years. Now is the time for us to have another title to honor the city. This title is not only a source of pride, but will also guide the development of the capital in the coming years. Therefore, a title that covers many areas of the dynamic capital is better than an easy-to-achieve title like handicrafts and folk arts,” Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son shared. And the field that he and everyone is aiming for is design.

An art performance at the Ceremony to receive the Decision of the UNESCO Director General recognizing the title "Hanoi - Creative City of Design" in 2019. (Photo: VGP)

The Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Education emphasized that design exists everywhere; cinema, music, architecture, smart cities, or even handicrafts and folk arts or cuisine can all take advantage of this title to develop. The experience of capitals around the world also shows a similar choice. When there are too many choices, choosing design will be the most suitable.

“At that time, the idea received enthusiastic support and assistance during the dossier building process from the city government, the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, and international experts,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son.

According to Mr. Jonathan Wallace Baker, Chief Representative of UNESCO in Vietnam, when Hanoi chose the design criteria, Hanoi wanted to send the message that design is closely linked to all cultural fields, cultural industries and creative industries. In those industries, we can see creativity and unique features of design types.

Mr. Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative in Vietnam.

“I think this is an absolutely correct choice when Hanoi built the nomination profile. Hanoi with its rich heritage shown in the profile along with its commitments and action programs completely convinced the evaluation board,” Mr. Wallace Baker assessed.