Hanoi(VNA) - UNESCO will support Vietnam✱ to build a Belt of Creative Cities while developing a sustainable tourism model in local communities in the North Central Heritage Corridor.

This is according to the project “Empowering youth and women to foster the connection and common good at Creative Cities and World Cultural Heritage recognized by UNESCO in Vietnam,” which was signed by Chairwoman and CEO of the SOVICO Group Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Director of the Bureau of Strategic Planning of UNESCO Jean-Yves Le Saux in Paris on November 5. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay. The agreement is especially significant during the country's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has negatively affected the livelihoods of people working in the cultural and tourism industries. This project will help link disjointed local initiatives while identifying meaningful institutional partnerships and financing opportunities for local youth and women, contributing to generating a strong ecosystem in cultural, creative, and tourism industries. The good practices of this project are expected to serve as examples in the empowerment of local people as well as sustainable tourism to inspire replication. “We are welcoming a strategic partnership with SOVICO Group - a private corporation in this journey. We believe that, in order to achieve sustainable development, we need all stakeholders, including the private sector, governments, development organizations, and local communities, to join hands. This has never been so relevant and needed as at this particular time of building resilience in societies after the global pandemic and in the face of so many other challenges,” said Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay. Audrey Azoulay lauded the attention of the Vietnamese government, affirming that Vietnam has always been an active and responsible member, one of the leading countries in the effective implementation of UNESCO programs and activities.

The Director-General of UNESCO expressed her satisfaction with the good relationship between the two sides over 45 years. She affirmed her commitment to continue to effectively support Vietnam in the field of education, improving the quality of human resources, culture, science, information and communication, creating conditions for Vieဣtnamese people to work in UNESCO.

Chairwoman and CEO of SOVICO Group, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, said that: “In partnership with UNESCO, we would like to contribute to the sustainable development and creativity through culture and education. SOVICO and UNESCO have a meaningful partnership working on creative cities and technology programs for students and women. We will continue working tirelessly with UNESCO to provide development opportunities for young people, children, and women in Vietnam, as a continuation of our action plan towards the Sustainable Development Goals over the past years. Together with UNESCO, this action plan will impact people’s lives not only within Vietnam but also internationally.” Previously, in October 2019, Hanoi became the first city in Vietnam to receive an official designation by UNESCO as a Creative City, a designation that coincided with the 20th anniversary of the City’s designation as a UNESCO City for Peace. As the cultural and political capital of Vietnam, Hanoi has played a central role in the country’s political history while nurturing creative talent. Following two decades of profound expansion, Hanoi now seeks to situate itself at the forefront of the rapid socio-economic transformation of Vietnam through its cultural legacy to define a new model of economic activity based on creativity and strong youth empowerment./.