Project Name：Project for the Revitalization of Crafts and Youth Entrepreneurship in Antigua Guatemala and Surrounding Municipalities in Sacatepéquez (Guatemala)

Project status：Projects in Operation

Cooperating Country：Central America, Guatemala

Project Description：

In cooperation with the Vice Minister Office for the Development of the MIPYMEs, Ministry of Economy (MINECO), this project has the purpose of establishing a model that will facilitate the development of the cultural and creative industries. The main outputs are: 1. Establish an advisory and collaboration mechanism for the local cultural industries. 2. Introduce creative talents to revitalize traditional crafts. 3. Introduce the know-hows and best practices for branding and marketing.

To watch the video made by the TaiwanICDF: La cultura es un buen negocio

Implementation Start Date：2019-09-17

Implementation End Date：2022-09-16

Project Objectives：

1. Establish an advisory mechanism for local cultural industries.
(1) Hold a total of three forums and workshops on the development of local industries with youth participation.
(2) Develop an identification map of local cultural industries.
(3) Support at least three categories of local cultural industries so that they can develop industrial associations, promoting the mechanism of joint production and marketing.
(4) Establish an operational guide for consultants.

2. Introduce design thinking and creative ideas to revitalize traditional crafts.
(1) Organize a total of 12 workshops on different topics, such as product development and design, technical improvement, marketing and packaging, and operational management.
(2) Hold a youth design contest.
(3) Carry out a series of promotional activities to publicize the youth contest in the media.
(4) Provide young winners with the opportunity to conduct a learning visit in Taiwan.|
(5) Develop 10 products with local cultural characteristics.

3. Introduce the branding and marketing model.
(1) Promote a set of store certification standards with local characteristics.
(2) Promote three experiential tourism routes with local characteristics.
(3) Organize three promotional events on the brand image.
(4) Help the industrial associations advised to participate in three fairs/ trade expos.

Executing Agency：

Taiwan Investment and Trade Service Mission in Central America / Ministry of Economy (MINECO), Guatemala 

Current Progress：

To the end of June 2022, the following activities have been completed:
1. The bilateral action plan of the project was signed on 17th September 2019.

2. Supported six companies to participate in the New World Craft in Antigua to enhance company's product visibility and marketing ability in 2019. In response to the COVID19 pandemic, assisted 3 companies to participate in the online New World Craft Exhibition to develop a new marketing model. After the epidemic slowed down, supported 3 companies to participate in the loquat festival to expand local business opportunities. Supported five companies to participate in “Mi Pueblo Mi Producto” fair and four companies to participate in “National Furniture Fair” in 2021.

3. Conducted two workshops: the subjects were "OVOP / OTOP" and “operations management “ in 2019. Conducted one workshop: "The Importance of Organization" in 2020. Conducted 3 workshops: the subjects were " Social Media Operation and Selling Online”,“ Basic English Conversation”and “Community Guide” and two workshops in Antigua and Xela: Encourage artisans and young designers to work together and reach new perspective for products and two workshops for Logo Design in 2021. Conducted 3 logo design and application series workshops, 1 basic financial management workshop in 2022.

4. Organized 2019 and 2020 “My Town My Product Expo”, introducing the product evaluation system and certification stamps in the event. 

5. Conducted a "Local Youth Industry Workshop" with participants from Landivar University and local industry producers, promoting the next year's youth design competition and local industry development in 2019. Conducted one workshop: "Importance of LOGO" to have opinion exchanging between the designers and the companies in 2020.

6. Invited the Bank of Central America (BAC) to conduct a training course on "Basic Financial Management" to introduce relevant concepts and skills to the project beneficiaries.

7. New product development : 3 multifunctional furniture and 3 items of anti-epidemic stuffs.

8. Developed one tourist rout in San Juan del Obispo in 2021.

9. Conducted Guatemala Youth Design Awards and invited designers and craftsmen from the three categories of ceramics,      fabrics and woodworking to participate in the competition together to inspire innovative products with local cultural                connotations and rich design concepts in 2021.

10. Conducted 2 “Tourist Rout” workshops,  to cooperate with Ministry of Economy and San Antonio Aguas                  Calientes Municipality organized 1 exhibition and sale of OVOP in 2022.

Project Contact：Po-Yuan, Hsieh

Phone：+886-2-28732323 Ext.6136

E-mail：p.y.hsieh@icdf.org.tw

Projected Benefits：Introduce the model of local cultural industry development in Antigua Guatemala, increase the production techniques and the marketing capacity of the beneficiaries, and revitalize the overall environment of the localities where cultural industries are developed (provide advisory support to 90 MSMEs and a minimum of 900 people involved in this sector, and increase MSMEs’ income to 10% on average).

Mission：Taiwan Investment and Trade Service Mission in Central America