Vietnamese Handicrafts on Show at London Fair

Vietnamese handicraft products are being showcased at the prestigious 48^th International Spring Fair, opened in London on May 15.

 

This year’s fair features more than 100 booths displaying a wide range of traditional handicrafts that range from ceramics, wood products, embroidery and bags, to foods and beverages, from around the world.

 

According to Vietnam’s UK embassy Minister-Counselor, Nguyen Thi Nha, the exposition plays a critical role in bringing Vietnamese culture closer to the rest of the world. The embroidered tablecloths produced by Vietnamese craftsmen have particularly impressed fair-goers, she said.

 

The annual fair, which began in London in 1958, used to be known as “The Fair of Diplomats” as it drew the attendance of international embassy staff based in the English capital.

 

According to the organizing board, the fair has attracted thousands of visitors so far, with all money collected from ticket sales to be disbursed to charitable organizations.

 

In related news, Trade Ministry recently opened a seminar seeking ways to develop handicraft exports from now to 2010. The seminar aims to increase the country’s total handicraft export revenue to US$820 million in 2007, and US$1.5 billion in 2010, from $680 million in 2006.

 

Of the sum, 44 per cent is expected to come from china products, 30 per cent from bamboo and sedge made products and 26 per cent from precious stones. (www.vnanet.vn)