CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE PILOT PROJECT IN BEN TRE CITY: A JOURNEY TOWARDS A SMART AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN COMMUNITY

On June 21, 2025, the closing ceremony of the Pilot Project in Ben Tre City: Community-based Integrated Urban Planning for the City Center was held. This event marked the conclusion of a collaborative journey in which the community worked together to shape a shared vision, objectives, and actions for a more sustainable future for Ben Tre's city center. The pilot project in Ben Tre is part of the broader initiative "Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Urban Development in Vietnam," a collaborative effort between the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). In Ben Tre, the project received technical implementation support from the Institute of Smart City and Management – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH – ISCM).

Shaping Urban Visions for and by the Community

The closing ceremony of the Ben Tre Pilot Project – Community-based Integrated Urban Planning for the City Center – served not only as a platform to report the results drawn from surveys, community consultations, and desk research, but also as an open space where the community – including youth, local residents, businesses, government, and researchers – gathered to share insights, provide feedback, and reaffirm their aspirations for the city center’s future.

Event Overview

A colorful series of activities brought the event to life, including:

• “Dream City” Art Exhibition, showcasing children’s imaginative visions of Ben Tre's future city center;

• Community Mural Workshop, transforming public space through art created by local hands;

• Interactive Feedback Corner, enabling citizens to voice their perspectives on urban development;

• Community Art Performance, celebrating local identity and culture through creative expression.
  

  

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Tu Anh Participates in the Discussion Session

A special highlight of the event was the discussion session involving representatives from government, business, local communities, and academia. Representing ISCM’s expert team supporting the project, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Tu Anh, Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management (UEH – ISCM), emphasized the importance of co-developing future urban initiatives for Ben Tre. She underscored the shared vision and sustainable development goals co-identified with the community throughout the project, and introduced the Our City Plan (OCP) approach. She also stressed the need for cross-sectoral collaboration and long-term commitments from government, experts, businesses, and citizens – key elements in realizing future urban visions.

Pilot project in Ben Tre City: Community-based integrated urban planning for the city center

This pilot project is part of the broader initiative “Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Urban Development in Vietnam,” aiming to promote the sustainable development of Ben Tre’s city center – especially the Dong Khoi Boulevard area – through meaningful community participation from residents, businesses, and local authorities. Jointly implemented by UN-Habitat and the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, and funded by SECO, the project in Ben Tre has been technically supported and co-designed by the Institute of Smart City and Management – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH – ISCM).

This project stands as a powerful example of how urban planning and design can become a co-creation process – one that reflects the real needs and collective vision of local communities. Community consultation sessions were held throughout the project to ensure inclusiveness and local engagement.

By participating in the ISCB Project in Ben Tre, ISCM not only contributed technical and research support, but also reaffirmed its unwavering vision of a “human-centered” approach – promoting diversity, sustainability, and synergy among technology, environment, and community. People remain at the heart of every development strategy, from planning and design to implementation. ISCM’s contribution to the ISCB project is a clear manifestation of this commitment, reinforcing its role in bridging academia and real-world practice, as well as linking local needs to global conversations.

A community consultation session held as part of the project

Media Coverage of the Event:

Dong Khoi Newspaper: Lễ tổng kết hợp phần thí điểm quy hoạch đô thị lấy cộng đồng làm trung tâm