Hà Nội Party Secretary Bùi Thị Minh Hoài, along with Hà Nội City leaders, visits the exhibition booths at the festival. — VNS Photo
The 3rd Hanoi Agricultural and Craft Village Products Festival 2024 was judged a major success, concluding on December 3 at Mailand Hanoi City Urban Area, featuring 260 participating units.
Among these, 152 units represented 25 districts of Hà Nội, while 116 units came from 25 provinces and cities across Việt Nam, alongside contributions from 32 domestic and international enterprises.
The event offered a vibrant atmosphere with a variety of engaging activities, providing visitors the opportunity to explore Hà Nội's distinctive agricultural culture, cherish high-quality products with clear origins and celebrate the rich heritage of craft villages.
The festival served not only as a showcase but also as a cultural and economic bridge connecting regions, fostering sustainable agricultural development.
Visitors described the festival as both impressive and elaborate. Mai Thúy Liên, a visitor from HCM City, said: "I visited the booths, admired exquisite craft village products, marvelled at unique ornamental plant creations by Hà Nội artisans and enjoyed fine Vietnamese teas and local delicacies at the food court.
"This festival helped me understand more about traditional craft villages, the culture and the people of Hà Nội."
A notable highlight of the festival was a livestream sales programme, organised in collaboration with TikTok Vietnam. This interactive platform connected 20 participating producers directly with a broad audience, integrating digital technology into marketing activities and promoting Vietnamese agricultural products to domestic and international consumers.
Đinh Thị Dung, a resident of Hát Môn Commune, Phúc Thọ District, Hà Nội, expressed her delight: "On the festival's opening day, my family enjoyed unique artistic performances celebrating agriculture, rural development and the beauty of our homeland. The documentaries about Hà Nội's 70-year journey in agriculture and rural development were truly meaningful gifts on this crisp winter day in Hà Nội."
Visitors were further enthralled by thematic exhibition zones showcasing the cultural essence of Hà Nội's agriculture. These included displays of agricultural and craft village products, live demonstrations by craft artisans, OCOP product exhibitions and introductions to Hà Nội's community-based tourism and rural tourism destinations.
A standout attraction was a cultural and artistic programme featuring an áo dài fashion show designed by Italian designer Malaika Barbara Ebbli. Using Vietnamese silk from the Hanhsilk brand, the show vividly portrayed the daily cultural and productive life of Hà Nội's rural communities, blending tradition with modernity and Vietnamese heritage with global influences.
Alongside the festival, specialised workshops were held, including 'Assessing the Results of Food Safety Coordination for Agricultural, Forestry, and Fisheries Products Between Hà Nội and Other Provinces in 2024' and 'Orientations and Solutions for Urban Agricultural Development in Hà Nội'.
These forums provided a platform for experts, policymakers and businesses to exchange ideas and propose solutions to enhance the quality and value of agricultural products.
Director of Hà Nội's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyễn Xuân Đại, said: "Building on the success of the two previous festivals, the 3rd Hanoi Agricultural and Craft Village Products Festival presented a comprehensive picture of the agricultural sector's proud achievements, from high-quality agricultural products to modern agricultural technology models. It also reaffirmed the sector's crucial role in the sustainable development of the capital."
He emphasised that the festival served as a bridge connecting enterprises, scientists, organisations and farmers, fostering collaboration, investment opportunities, and development. It would also drive economic growth in Hà Nội's agricultural and rural sectors and the preservation of traditional cultural values.
The event not only promoted Hà Nội's dynamic and rich traditions but also highlighted the immense potential of agriculture and craft villages in the era of integration and development. — VNS