Hanoi, renowned as a land of “spiritual and talented people,” is not only famous for the beauty of its 36 old streets but also for its renowned traditional craft villages that have been immortalized in history and poetry. Hanoi, the gathering place of a hundred crafts, has shaped the values of a rich cultural heritage. Despite the ups and downs, Hanoi’s craft villages have preserved their distinctive charm, unmatched by any other region. To date, Hanoi is home to over 1,350 craft villages and villages with skilled trades, representing 47 out of 52 traditional crafts nationwide.

Previously, within the framework of the 2023 Festival for the Conservation and Development of Vietnamese Craft Villages, co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People’s Committee of Hanoi, the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development signed two memorandums of understanding with the World Crafts Council and Lund University’s School of Design. This strengthened cooperation in the field of preserving and developing handicrafts and promoting the creative village model aligns with Hanoi’s policies on craft village development, enhancing creative design according to the goals of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, of which Hanoi is a member.

Hanoi’s Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Nguyễn Đình Hoa speeks at the meeing

Hanoi’s Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Nguyễn Đình Hoa, stated: “In 2024, Hanoi will recognize two craft villages—Vạn Phúc silk village and Bát Tràng ceramics village—as members of the global Creative Cities Network for Crafts. With these two villages becoming members, Hanoi will also become a member of the World Crafts Council. This achievement will help elevate the status, brand, and value of these craft villages, contributing to the comprehensive and sustainable development of Hanoi’s craft villages. At the same time, it will boost the economy, increase incomes, improve the material and spiritual well-being of the people, and create opportunities for exchange and integration with craft villages in the Creative Cities Network worldwide.”

Mr. Aziz Murtazaev, President of the World Crafts Council for the Asia-Pacific region, highly appreciated the creativity of Bát Tràng ceramics and confidently believed that Bát Tràng craft village would become a member of the World Crafts Council.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has tasked the DARD with closely coordinating with other departments, sectors, and district-level People’s Committees to focus on finalizing the comprehensive development plan for the city’s craft villages for the period 2024–2030, with a vision towards 2050 (referred to as the Proposal).

Accordingly, the Proposal outlines four main goals: developing a multi-value economy (including promoting craft village development in connection with agricultural and rural cultural tourism); creating jobs for rural workers; preserving and promoting intangible cultural values to safeguard the traditional value of craft villages; and effectively implementing the socio-economic development of localities.

Visit Center for preservation and development of national heritage pottery and Bat Trang tourism

A series of key solutions were mentioned in the Proposal to address the challenges of linking raw material regions that Hanoi is currently facing, moving toward connecting raw material areas to ensure a stable supply. This includes improving infrastructure to support production and business organization, fostering tourism development, and preserving and promoting crafts associated with villages as a foundation for tourism development. With this opportunity, local residents will be able to enhance their knowledge of producing and trading craft village products from the capital with other countries around the world, and form tourism sites that fully preserve the beauty of Vietnam’s cultural heritage.

Accordingly, the Department has proposed 10 groups of solutions focused on applying scientific and technological advancements to create breakthroughs and produce unique products, thereby increasing the value of craft village products. It also aims to mobilize socialized resources to invest in the development of craft villages. Specifically, polluting industries must have a roadmap for relocation into concentrated industrial zones or clusters. The current context of economic integration places increasing demands on product quality, design, transparency of origin, and environmental protection. Therefore, the development of a comprehensive plan for the craft village sector, with a vision toward 2050, is essential, emphasized Mr. Nguyễn Đình Hoa.

Craft products of Bát Tràng pottery village

At the meeting with Bát Tràng commune, several important representatives from the International Jury Council were present, including Mr. Aziz Murtazaev, President of the World Crafts Council for the Asia-Pacific region; Dr. Sitthichai Smanchat, Vice President of the Crafts Council for Southeast Asia; and Ms. Nadia Meer, Vice President of the World Crafts Council for Africa.

The Bát Tràng pottery craft has a long history. Despite the ups and downs throughout history, Bát Tràng ceramics have retained their unique beauty and intricacy in every product, enabling Bát Tràng ceramics to increasingly integrate and develop in the global market. Notably, the beauty and finesse of Bát Tràng ceramics are reflected in the handmade production process on the potter’s wheel, using the be trạch technique to create thick ceramic forms, along with the techniques of printing on wooden molds and casting in plaster molds. The five traditional glazes, such as blue, brown, and crackle glaze, along with decorative patterns, have contributed to the famous brand of the Bát Tràng pottery village.

Tour of ceramic artisans

In 2022, Bát Tràng ceramics were recognized and honored as a national intangible cultural heritage. The Bát Tràng pottery profession continues to contribute to promoting tourism activities in Hanoi. This recognition also serves as a source of encouragement for the Bát Tràng commune’s Party committee, government, and people, as well as for the city of Hanoi in general, to remain determined in successfully fulfilling the task of preserving cultural heritage in conjunction with tourism development.

Additionally, Bát Tràng pottery village has preserved a valuable architectural complex, including the Bát Tràng communal house, which still holds 44 royal decrees from the Lê, Tây Sơn, and Nguyễn dynasties, as well as the Bát Tràng literary temple and Kim Trúc Pagoda. The Bát Tràng craft village has continuously innovated its production technology and product designs, aiming to become a model craft village of the capital. Bát Tràng is currently one of two sites in Gia Lâm district displaying, introducing, and selling OCOP (One Commune, One Product) products.

On his first working day, Mr. Aziz Murtazaev, President of the World Crafts Council for the Asia-Pacific region, highly appreciated the creativity of Bát Tràng ceramics and confidently believed that Bát Tràng craft village would become a member of the World Crafts Council.

Some pictures of the delegation's first working day in Bát Tràng