Scene of the working session.

Recently, Vietnam's Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung, Commercial Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy Duong Phuong Thao and Chairwoman of the EU Handicrafts Council Ms. Elisa Gudi agreed invited MALAIKA Company, Italy (one of the leading prestigious creative design consulting companies in Italy and Europe) to Vietnam to work with the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on product promotion of Hanoi craft villages to the world market.

At the meeting, Director of Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Dai said that Hanoi is the capital, political, economic and cultural center of Vietnam. Hanoi is also the convergence of many craft villages throughout the country. Many Hanoi craft village products have special value and are recognized as national treasures. Each craft village in Hanoi has its own identity, creating unique products.

Director of Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Dai presented a lotus painting made from Vietnamese rice grains to the representative of MALAIKA Company.

Hanoi currently has 1.350 craft villages and vocational villages, accounting for 56 per cent of the total number of craft villages in the country. Hanoi brings together 47 occupations out of 52 traditional occupations in the country. Hanoi has 322 craft villages, of which 274 villages are recognized as craft villages, 48 villages are recognized as traditional craft villages.

Hanoi has six out of seven main occupational groups, including: 69 craft villages processing and preserving agricultural, forestry and aquatic products; 22 craft villages producing handicrafts; 197 craft villages producing wooden furniture, rattan, ceramics, glass, textiles, yarn, embroidery, wickerwork, and small mechanics; 13 craft villages producing and trading ornamental creatures; 16 craft villages handle, process, and process raw materials to serve rural production and trades; five craft villages providing services for production and rural people's life.

Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of the Hanoi New Rural Construction Program Coordination Office, said that: Hanoi is eager to develop cooperative relationships, including in the field of design.

"Hanoi craft village products are diverse, most have beautiful designs, good quality, some products have competitive strengths. competition in foreign markets,” Director of Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Dai said. “Specifically, garment products, ceramics, weaving, embroidery, traditional lace; rattan and bamboo weaving; wooden furniture; agricultural and food processing. Hanoi craft village products are currently exported to more than 40 countries and territories.”

To develop production, improve competitiveness, and increase the value of craft village products, Hanoi has issued policies on preserving and developing craft villages. Hanoi is completing the planning to preserve and develop traditional craft villages combined with tourism for two craft villages: Van Phuc silk weaving in Ha Dong District and Bat Trang ceramics in Gia Lam District. As planned, Hanoi develops nine creative design centers, introducing, promoting and selling craft village products associated with tourism. Hanoi also issued a plan to pilot six models of rural tourism and craft village tourism in Thuong Tin, Dan Phuong, Thanh Tri, My Duc, Thach That districts and Son Tay town.

Hanoi has agreed on the policy of building a project to develop craft villages for the period 2024 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 to assess the current situation, goals, and solutions for sustainable and appropriate craft village development, compatible with the capital's general socio-economic development planning.

Barbara Ebbli, founder and desinger of MALAIKA Company, visited the silk factory in Van Phuc silk village, Ha Dong district, Hanoi.

Barbara Ebbli, founder and designer of MALAIKA Company, highly appreciated the products of Hanoi craft villages, especially handicraft villages, embroidery, weaving... As a company specializing in design, MALAIKA Company hopes to be able, in conjunction with the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, to build a system to introduce Vietnamese craft village products in Italy and some other countries.

Barbara Ebbli, founder and designer of MALAIKA Company, surveyed and worked with embroidery artisans in Thang Loi commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi.

Speaking at the opening of Hanoi's display booth at the International Handicrafts Fair (AF L'ARTIGIANO 2023) taking place in Milan, Italy on December 2, 2023, organized by the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ebbli said MILAIKA Company hopes that in the future it will work with Hanoi's craft villages to select products, design and build international markets.

At the AF L'ARTIGIANO 2023, eight prestigious handicraft manufacturing enterprises of Hanoi showcased many unique products, attracting many businesses from foreign countries.