UNESCO recognizes Vietnam's contributions in the field of creative culture

Baoquocte.vn. Vietnam is one of the few countries that has two cities recognized by UNESCO as Creative Cities this year.

On World Cities Day (October 31), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced a list of 55 new cities designated by Director-General Audrey Azoulay to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

Accordingly, Da Lat is a Creative City in the field of music and Hoi An is a Creative City in the field of crafts and folk arts. Thus, Vietnam now owns 3 Creative Cities: Hanoi, Da Lat and Hoi An.

Thành phố Đà Lạt, tỉnh Lâm Đồng. (Ảnh: Phạm Việt Dũng)

Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province. (Photo: Pham Viet Dung)

Sharing with TG&VN Newspaper as soon as this information was available, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO Le Thi Hong Van said: UNESCO's Creative Cities Network was initiated in 2004 to promote cooperation between cities that consider creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable development, and cultural industry as the focus of urban development plans.

To date, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network includes 350 cities from more than 100 countries, with development based on creativity in 7 areas such as crafts and folk arts, design, cinema, gastronomy, literature, media arts and music.

Vietnam is one of the few countries to have two cities recognized as Creative Cities this year. "This is not only the pride of the community and people of Da Lat and Hoi An, but also the joy of the whole country, because Vietnam's name is mentioned in the global network of creative cities after 4 years," Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van emphasized.

This is international recognition and appreciation for Vietnam's efforts and commitments in promoting cultural creativity and developing cultural resources, creating momentum for the sustainable development of the community, locality and country.

In the evening, the light of countless lanterns give Hoi An a fairy tale appearance. (Photo: SCMP)

Hoi An city at night. (Source: SCMP)

UNESCO and other countries highly appreciate Vietnam's policy of valuing culture and creativity as a driving force for sustainable development, and welcome our proactiveness and positivity in building and implementing the Project to develop the Vietnam Creative Cities Network, and the seriousness and efforts of cities and relevant agencies to ensure quality dossiers that meet UNESCO's Creative City criteria.

According to Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, this is also another contribution of Vietnam to UNESCO cooperation in the field of creative culture, especially in the context that Vietnam is Vice President of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Convention 2005).

With the registration of Da Lat and Hoi An this time, along with Hanoi as Creative Cities in the field of design in 2019, up to now, our country has basically formed a network of Vietnamese Creative Cities in the Global Creative Cities Network.

This is an important basis for building and perfecting policies and measures to develop cultural industries in Vietnam, so that cultural industries can develop commensurate with their inherent advantages and potentials, truly being a new and breakthrough direction in developing creative economy, positioning national brands, and contributing to the sustainable development of the country.

Localities will also have the opportunity to learn from experience, integrate culture and creativity into urban development strategies and action plans, bringing sustainable livelihoods to people. In addition, we have many opportunities to promote the country, people and culture of Vietnam to the world - a dynamically developing Vietnam, deeply integrated, innovative and imbued with identity.

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