Ha Noi, the cultural and political capital of Viet Nam has always played a central role in the country’s history and development. Recognised by UNESCO in 1999 as a City for Peace, Ha Noi now seeks to situate itself at the forefront of the rapid socio-economic transformation of the country, using its cultural legacy to define a new model of creative economy in the country. In 2019, Ha Noi officially became a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of Design.
Ha Noi Rethink or Mobilizing Cultural Dynamics and Youth Participation for Ha Noi Creative Capital is a project implemented by UNESCO, UNIDO, and UN Habitat with the support from SOVICO Group during 2021-2023. This initiative will help promote this new strategic vision for Ha Noi as a Creative Capital – a city that seeks to empower its citizens, build a more balanced, diverse, and innovative economy, and move towards a more sustainable and people-centred approach to development. Vietnamese youth is the nation’s most precious resource, and it is they who are the key agents for innovation and social change.
Ha Noi Rethink includes three components. Component 1 aims to create and promote platforms to connect ongoing cultural initiatives of the youth in Ha Noi. Component 2 will support the integration of new digital technologies into the creative industries sector and foster entrepreneurship of young designers. Component 3 will help the City connect with key national and international partners to identify synergies between existing and future programmes relating to the cultural industries, reinforcing Ha Noi’s own ability to attract further resources moving forward.
