Dialogue seeks to develop creative city brand for Hanoi

Addressing the event, Do Dinh Hong, director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, emphasised that after being recognised by UNESCO as a creative city in 2019, Hanoi has organised numerous seminars on creative design and festivals in a bid to develop its own creative city brand.

Hong added that the city also has drawn up policies aimed at developing human resources specifically for the building of a creative city, including policies for artisans.

For his part, Chris Maccrey, culture development manager of Belfast City Council, shared that despite difficulties in community connection, Belfast has become a global music destination with many different creative spaces, ranging from traditional to modern music.

He revealed that the Belfast council has provided specific support for creating public spaces for creativity, including parts of museums and other vacant spaces in the city while encouraging the community to get involved in activities.            

Vietnamese designer Vu Thao highlighted the role of indigenous elements and cultural identity in community creative designs, stressing cultural heritage represents a great resource for Hanoi to develop a creative city.

At the event, Donna McGowan, director of the British Council in Vietnam, affirmed that her organisation would continue to co-ordinate alongside relevant agencies in Hanoi to promote local cultural development programmes.

The British Council will connect Hanoi with urban areas in UNESCO’s "Creative Cities" network as a means of promoting ties in the field of culture and creativity, said McGowan.