These were the opinions of participants at Friday’s international workshop on conservation and development of craft villages, part of the ongoing Vietnam Craft Villages Festival in Hanoi.

“Many crafts are in need of restoration and development. I propose building a mechanism for skillful artisans because they are quietly preserving their professions and the cultural beauty of the nation, but their living conditions still face many difficulties,” Meritorious artist Nguyen Van Tinh of Phu Vinh Bamboo and Rattan Village in Hanoi, said.

Other delegates suggested strengthening the sales of handicraft products in international markets.

Nguyen Minh Tien, Director of the Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, underscored the need for craft villages to develop digital skills, promote online sales activities, and boost trade promotion by switching from face-to-face to online forms.

“Social network platforms allow us to support product entities to compete with quality and stories behind the products. The stories which tell us the product origin and production process create trust and emotions for users  as well as introducing the traditions and culture of the products,” said Tien.

At the workshop, the Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture  and the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development signed a cooperation agreement with a number of international partners experienced in trade fairs, digital platforms. and banks to promote trade of handicraft products and OCOP items to the international market.