Foreigners mingling with crowds of local people during Thang Long-Hanoi’s birthday celebrations

Hanoi (VNA) – Foreigners mingling with crowds of local people during Thang Long-Hanoi’s birthday celebrations, spoke of their feelings about the 1,000 year old capital city.

The head of UNESCO’s Office in Hanoi, Katherine Muller Marin, said she was happy
that the first year of her term in Vietnam coincided with the grand celebrations
for the city’s 1,000 th birthday.

Marin attended several activities during the busy festival, including ceremonies
to launch the 10 days of celebration, the inauguration of the ceramic mosaic mural
along the Red River dyke and the opening of the new Hanoi Museum.

When sharing Hanoians’ joy over the Red River ceramic mosaic being recognised as
a Guinness World the Record, Marin called it proof of the public’s
participation and pride.

She said she would love to stay in Vietnam to work for a long time and to learn
Vietnamese. She added that she considers Vietnam her second home.

Finland’s Ambassador to Vietnam Pekka Hyvonen showed his perception of Vietnam
through his photos of Vietnam’s countryside and its people that he took during
his tours of the country.

He said that he enjoys riding his motorbike around Hanoi visiting beautiful places
and hopes that the capital city will be preserved for future generations.

Foreign friends also contributed their ideas and initiatives to maintain the charm
of ancient Hanoi during the modernisation process.

Sorotova Ludmila, the Deputy Mayor of Yaroslav in Russia, suggested raising
people’s pride in the country, the capital city and its heritage, spreading
information about it history and developing tourism and tourist products.

In her opinion, fine art and handicrafts shops, cafes and hotels need to be
developed into spots that portray the city’s culture and the rest of the country
to foreigners.-Enditem