The first Global Festival for the Conservation and Development of Craft Villages 2026 will take place in Hanoi from November 13 to 16. The programme includes exhibitions and product demonstrations, investment promotion, creative design networking, and tourism activities connected with craft villages.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7 pm on November 14. Exhibition spaces will allow artisans, production establishments and businesses to present craft village products, promote them and establish trade links.
On November 14, a conference on investment promotion for rural industry products will be held at the Centre for Vietnam Craft Village Quintessence in Hanoi’s Bat Trang commune.
The Asia-Pacific Handicraft Competition will take place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel the following day. It will give artisans and designers an opportunity to connect and develop creative approaches to handicraft products. A cultural exchange and fashion promotion programme featuring Vietnamese and international handicrafts is scheduled for 7 pm at the venue that day.
On November 12, ahead of the festival, activities promoting craft village tourism, including tours and hands-on experiences, will take place in several notable craft villages, including Van Phuc and Chuyen My.
The programme will also include the first Hanoi Craft Village Product Competition and Artisan Honouring Ceremony 2026, as well as the Vietnam Fine Arts and Handicrafts Product Competition 2026. Art performances and exchange programmes are scheduled for the evenings of November 13 and 16 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Exchange and hands-on activities will also be organised at craft villages in Hanoi and neighbouring Ninh Binh province.
The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned to coordinate the festival with relevant ministries, sectors and organisations.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been tasked with stepping up communications and promotion and connecting tours to prominent craft villages, including Bat Trang, Van Phuc, Chuyen My, Son Dong and Duong Lam. The city has also asked localities with craft villages to improve their surroundings and prepare artisans and products for exhibitions, demonstrations and visits.
Through exhibitions, exchanges, investment promotion and tourism activities, the festival aims to connect Vietnamese craft villages with international partners, promote the value of traditional handicrafts and support the development of rural crafts.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
