On May 2nd, 2025, at Nantrungjai Boutique Hotel in Nan Province, Mr. Chainarong Wongyai, the Governor of Nan Province, presided over the opening ceremony of the policy and strategy workshop aimed at facilitating Nan’s achievement of UNESCO Creative City status. The workshop was jointly organized by the Nan Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) Area 6 (Nan Old City), Nan Community College, and the Provincial Cultural Office of Nan.
Governor Chainarong Wongyai stated that Nan province is strongly committed to its application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. He emphasized the significant opportunities that this designation would bring in promoting and elevating Nan’s handicrafts and folk art on the global stage, which can lead to local economic growth, tourism enhancement, and collaborative knowledge exchange among cities worldwide. The aim of this collaboration is to foster sustainable development and preserve the unique cultural heritage of the region.
Furthermore, Nan province has received valuable support from the Rakpanan Foundation and was honored to host two distinguished international experts in the field of crafts and folk art, who shared their knowledge of international policies, key focus areas, and experiences involving UNESCO Creative Cities such as Jinju, South Korea, and other cities in the Asia-Pacific region. These esteemed speakers included:
- Prof. Dr. Byung Hoon Jeong from Jeonbuk National University, a renowned expert in Crafts and Folk Art, who delivered a presentation on “The MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration and Creative Activities of Jinju.” He highlighted the international policies related to the Creative Cities Network and shared the experiences of success and the creative activities of Jinju, a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art in South Korea.
- Associate Prof. Dr. Witiya Pitungnapoo, an expert from Naresuan University, who discussed the dynamics of promoting Creative Cities in Crafts and Folk Art within the Asia and Pacific region, thereby providing valuable perspectives and development strategies.
Governor Chainarong Wongyai expressed his strong belief that this workshop will mark a significant milestone for Nan province and contribute toward it being recognized as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art. Furthermore, this recognition is expected to bring about sustainable development across all dimensions for the province in the years to come.
