Hanoi: 5 Years of Joining the UNESCO Global Network of Creative Cities – Efforts to Position the Hanoi Brand on the World Creative Map
In 2019, Hanoi joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of Design, becoming the first city in Vietnam and the third capital in Southeast Asia to earn this title. The recognition marked the culmination of efforts by numerous agencies, organizations, and individuals across diverse sectors. More importantly, it created momentum for Hanoi to emerge as a city rich in creative potential and committed to sustainable development.
From the “Creative City” Title to Hanoi’s Commitment to Action
The Creative City designation is not only an international acknowledgment but also a catalyst for Hanoi to define its urban brand, promote its creative identity, and attract investment for its cultural industries. Soon after receiving the title, Hanoi partnered with the UNESCO Office in Vietnam in 2020 to organize the high-level seminar “Consultation on the Hanoi – Creative City Initiative.” Esteemed domestic and international experts, investors, and businesses contributed ideas and recommendations for the city’s long-term development strategy.
Following the seminar, Hanoi issued key policies demonstrating its commitment, including Resolution No. 09-NQ/TU on cultural industry development (2021–2025, with orientation to 2030 and vision to 2045) and Plan No. 102-KH/UBND on implementing initiatives for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network through 2025. Notably, Hanoi became the first city in Vietnam to promulgate a dedicated resolution to develop the cultural industry.
At the same time, the city advanced activities related to heritage preservation, creative spaces, and cultural tourism; issued Resolution 23/2022/NQ-HĐND to support intangible heritage artisans; expanded international cooperation; and strengthened exchanges with cities inside and outside the UCCN through annual workshops, events, and knowledge-sharing conferences.
Formation of Creative Spaces: Connecting Past, Present, and Future
With 1,326 craft villages, 5,817 relics, 1,761 intangible cultural heritage items, and 42 museums, Hanoi is a uniquely diverse cultural center. The city has seen a surge in public-space cultural events and street-art activities, which underscores the need for creative spaces that connect creators with audiences. These spaces enrich community life, foster employment, support creative professions, and advance the city’s goals for balanced, sustainable development.
Over the past five years, in line with its UNESCO commitments, Hanoi has invested heavily in creative infrastructure. It has developed criteria for categorizing creative spaces and is working toward establishing the Hanoi Creative Space Network. The city now boasts nearly 60 creative spaces—including art centers, co-working hubs, and technology-oriented zones—that serve artists, designers, and creative practitioners. Notable examples include Ho Guom Theatre, 22 Hang Buom Cultural and Art Space, Vincom Center for Contemporary Art, Complex01, Toong Co-working Space, To Chim Xanh (Blue Bird’s Nest), and O Kia Ha Noi.
Heritage sites have also undergone creative revitalization with innovative offerings: the “Sacred Night” tour at Hoa Lo Prison; the “Essence of Learning” and Stone History Immortalized 3D mapping shows at the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy; and the “Decoding Thang Long Imperial Citadel” tour. Industrial heritage sites—such as the Gia Lam Train Factory, Hang Dau Water Tower, and Vietnam Trade Union Printing Factory—are being transformed into creative design spaces, preserving history while energizing the contemporary urban landscape.
Hanoi’s investment in creative infrastructure is paying off. The capital has become a top destination for major domestic and international arts events, including the Monsoon International Music Festival, the Hanoi International Film Festival, the Anh Trai Say Hi concerts, and performances by BlackPink, Kenny G, and Bond. Notably, BlackPink’s 2023 concert generated approximately 630 billion VND for Hanoi’s tourism sector, and three Anh Trai Say Hi concerts in 2024–2025 filled My Dinh Stadium to capacity.
A “Playground” for the Creative Community
Since 2019, Hanoi has partnered with organizations and individuals to organize numerous creative competitions aimed at urban renewal and sustainable development, particularly engaging younger generations. These include Hanoi Creative Space Design, Kilometre Zero Design, Temple of Literature Sketching, Creative Hanoi, and Hanoi Public Art Design. Beyond competitions, the city encourages residents to beautify their surroundings, resulting in hundreds of flowering streets and revitalized community cultural houses.
A standout achievement in recent years is the Hanoi Creative Design Festival, held annually since 2021. Originating as “Creative Spark Week,” it expanded into a major festival in 2022 and has become a highly anticipated event for young creatives. The festival is a flagship initiative for developing the design network, connecting diverse creative resources, attracting investment, and strengthening cultural industries.
By 2024, under the theme “Creative Crossroads,” the festival brought together more than 500 participating units, 1,000 creators, and 110 activities across seven iconic landmarks and 12 cultural industries. Nearly 50 satellite events across 30 districts and towns created a citywide creative atmosphere during the nine-day program, with 12 million total reach, 4.7 million interactions, and 300,000 in-person participants.
In October 2024, Hanoi officially launched the Hanoi Creative City Coordination Center at the Hanoi Museum—a major initiative to attract and connect domestic and international creative resources, serve as a platform for idea incubation, and nurture talent across creative design fields. Within its first eight months, the Center has already become a vibrant hub for young creators, government bodies, and international partners.
A “Playground” for the Creative Community
From 2019 until now, Hanoi has continually coordinated with relevant units and individuals to organize numerous creative competitions that contribute to urban renewal and sustainable development for all segments of the population, with a focus on the younger generation. These include Hanoi Creative Space Design, Kilometre Zero Design, Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy Sketching, Creative Hanoi, Hanoi Public Art Design, and more. Not stopping at competitions, Hanoi has also deployed many activities across every corner and street of the city, mobilizing residents to actively and voluntarily beautify their living areas. The city now has hundreds of blooming streets and clean, beautiful community cultural houses, among other improvements.
Speaking of the highlight of the creative community in Hanoi over the past five years, the Creative Design Festival (Lễ hội Thiết kế Sáng tạo), which has been held annually since 2021, cannot be ignored. Starting with the “Creative Spark Week” (Tuần lễ Khơi nguồn sáng tạo) in 2021, it developed into the Hanoi Creative Design Festival in 2022 and has become an anticipated annual event for young people. The Festival is recognized as an official activity aimed at developing the design network, connecting diverse resources, demonstrating the city’s determination, attracting investment, and developing cultural industries. Year after year, the scale and theme of the Festival have expanded and improved, gradually becoming a holiday for the creative community in Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general. In its most recent iteration in 2024, the Hanoi Creative Design Festival, themed “Creative Crossroads,” gathered over 500 accompanying units and 1,000 talented creators of various ages, with 110 activities spanning 7 iconic structures of the capital and covering 12 cultural industries. Furthermore, nearly 50 corresponding activities across 30 districts and towns brought a vibrant atmosphere full of creative joy to the entire city throughout the nine days of the festival. The 2024 Festival attracted 12 million reach counts, 4.7 million interactions, and 300,000 direct participants.
In October 2024, Hanoi officially launched the Hanoi Creative City Coordination Center at the Hanoi Museum. This is the capital’s initiative to create a solid platform to attract and connect local and international creative resources; introduce, share, and support the pilot implementation of ideas in the creative field; and, most importantly, nurture talents in creative design sectors. In just the first eight months of operation, the Coordination Center has become a new meeting place for Hanoi’s creative scene, bringing together young creators, coordinating with government agencies and international organizations, and diversifying creative activities based on the 12 cultural industries.
2025: A Key Year for a New Breakthrough Phase
After five years of actively fulfilling its commitment to UNESCO, 2025 is considered a crucial milestone for consolidating foundations, reviewing activities, defining strategic direction, and intensifying actions aimed at building Hanoi’s sustainable creative ecosystem. On April 11, 2025, the Hanoi People’s Committee officially issued Plan 97/KH-UBND on organizing activities to participate in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2025. In this plan, Hanoi identified five main groups of tasks with a focus on concentrated, synchronized, and cohesive direction among all levels, sectors, businesses, and the creative community.
Firstly, the policy system will be improved to expand autonomy and flexibility for creative entities. The amendment of the Capital Law, the development of policies to support the Creative Fund, and the formation of an annual international award are important steps to create a legal framework for sustainable development. Along with this, Hanoi will develop guidelines for urban creative space planning to promote the effective use of existing public spaces, relics, and cultural resources.
Communication and international cooperation activities will also be expanded. Hanoi will actively integrate creative elements into cultural tourism promotion while strengthening cooperation with organizations such as UNESCO, the Vietnam Association of Architects, and international networks to share policies, connect talents, and launch projects.
Hanoi will continue to form the Hanoi Creative Space Network, connecting activities from various spaces into a common network, creating creative highlights at cultural institutions, and enhancing the quality of activities in these spaces. Accordingly, on May 6, 2025, the Hanoi Creative City Coordination Center officially called upon creative cultural groups and organizations to register as members of the Hanoi Creative Space Network. It is expected that the registered spaces will be evaluated and recognized in July 2025.
A notable highlight is the orientation to elevate the Hanoi Creative Design Festival beyond the scope of a single event, transforming it into a sustainable interdisciplinary creative connection platform for Vietnam, the region, and the world. The city advocates for the integration of multiple sectors—technology, handicrafts, environment, and architecture—creating a convergence platform for the creative community and businesses while expanding public participation. Therefore, instead of being held annually, the Festival will shift to a biennial schedule in even-numbered years. In 2025, Hanoi aims to finalize the Festival Organizing Framework with a complete roadmap, theme, and content, and continue to nurture and scout for talent and connect inter-industry resources in the creative sector, generating creative ideas and products in preparation for the 5th Hanoi Creative Design Festival in 2026.
From the UNESCO inscription in the Global Network of Creative Cities to practical development, over the past five years Hanoi has undergone a strong transformation to position the city as a dynamic creative hub in the region. Going beyond mere slogans, the city will continue to create tangible values: a working environment for young people and investment opportunities for creative businesses, thereby attracting investment and positioning its brand as a modern urban area connected with national identity.
All of Hanoi’s efforts to implement its commitment to developing a Creative City reflect a comprehensive movement, through which Hanoi advances the Creative City title and builds an innovative, sustainable ecosystem with its own identity in the context of globalization.