Ho Chi Minh City registers to join UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of film

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee held an international consultation seminar on February 15 to gather feedback on the city's application for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Delegates at the seminar.

March 3, 2025, is the deadline for Ho Chi Minh City to submit its official application to UNESCO to become a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

If approved, Ho Chi Minh City will be the first UNESCO Creative City of Film in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, delivers the opening speech at the seminar.

To prepare the application most effectively, Ho Chi Minh City organised an international seminar to consult experts, gathering valuable contributions for the city's candidacy. The event provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange experiences, share expertise, and discuss creative solutions for developing the film industry — the sector Ho Chi Minh City has chosen to join under within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

In her opening speech at the seminar, Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, stated that the city places special emphasis on developing the film industry as part of its cultural industry development strategy.

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, speaks at the seminar.

At the seminar, domestic and international experts, researchers, managers, and artists exchanged experiences, shared expertise, and discussed creative solutions to develop the film industry.

In its cultural industry development strategy for the 2020-2035 period, the city identifies building cultural and creative industries as an important part of the city's development strategy.

In 2024, Ho Chi Minh City had 29,861 enterprises operating in the cultural sector, accounting for about 12.6% of the city's enterprises, with a total charter capital of 20 billion USD and attracting 105,000 workers, contributing 4.3 billion USD and accounting for 6.2% of the city's GRDP.

NDO