Millennial anniversary raises Hanoi’s prestige

The successful organization of the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi has contributed to raising the capital city’s position and prestige for the whole country’s people as well as among international friends.

The remarks were made at a meeting to review the millennial celebrations held in Hanoi on Nov. 9 by the municipal Party Committee, People’s Committee, People’s Council and Fatherland Front.

Addressing the meeting, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi said the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi was successfully organized.

The traditional values of the capital city over the past 1,000 years of development were honoured, with UNESCO’s resolution on celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the recognition of 82 doctoral steles in the Temple of Literature as a world literary heritage, the People’s Committee said, adding that UNESCO Director General attended the opening ceremony of the millennium anniversary and handed over a certificate to recognise the Thang Long-Hanoi ancient citadel’s central area as a world cultural heritage site.

Hanoi has set up friendly and cooperative ties with more than 60 cities of about 50 nations and territories around the world. It was recognised as the city of peace.

The patriotism, national pride, the trust in the Party and regime in all walks of life were shown in the participation of over three million people in the Thang Long-Hanoi contest, 700 works of more than 100 press agencies in the millennial anniversary press prize as well as 400 cultural and art works on the celebrations.

During the 10-day festival, thousands of people nationwide and Overseas Vietnamese flocked to the city for celebrations, including Party and State leaders, representatives from ministries, departments, organisations and 62 provinces and cities, 1,000 Vietnamese heroic mothers and heroes, 31 delegations from 30 foreign cities and 22 international delegations, 91 ambassadors and chief representatives from diplomatic missions and international organisations in Hanoi.

More than 1,200 local and foreign reporters were in Hanoi to cover the anniversary.

Besides, hundreds of precious gifts were presented to the capital city, hundreds of projects were inaugurated, and a series of festivals, contests, cultural and art performances was also held in Hanoi and other provinces to celebrate the anniversary./.

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Biggest-ever parade marks Hanoi’s millennium

A grand meeting and biggest-ever parade was held at Ba Dinh Square on October 10 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The meeting was attended by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Huynh Dam, and Secretary of the Hanoi municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi along with former senior State and Party leaders.

Ambassadors, representatives from international organisations in Vietnam, centrally-run ministries, sectors and media agencies plus heroic mothers, revolutionary veterans, armed forces and labour heroes, and almost 40,000 people and soldiers representing millions of others in and outside the country also joined the event.

The celebration honoured the armed forces and highlighted the tremendous achievements Hanoi and the country have recorded during 1,000 years of history, national construction and development, and during the Doi Moi (Renewal) process in which Hanoi has been honoured as a capital city of peace and friendship.

To begin the celebration, a torch was lit at Hanoi’s Millennial Anniversary cauldron. The torch symbolises eternal vitality of the Vietnamese nation and the flame of Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts which has lit the revolutionary path towards the goal of a prosperous people living in a powerful country with a just, democratic and civilised society.

Party and State leaders, along with the delegates, saluted the national flag while the military band played the national anthem and 21 canons fired a salvo.

In his speech, President Triet extended his best wishes and sincere thanks to people across the country, overseas Vietnamese and international friends for their special sentiments towards Hanoi on its 1000th grand anniversary.

1,000 years ago, in the autumn of 1010, King Ly Thai To issued the royal edict to transfer the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long, opening up a glorious period of development for the capital.

From that historic milestone to the Ho Chi Minh era, over 1,000 years of ups and downs, Thang Long-Hanoi has maintained its assured posture and indomitable spirit, deserving to be the heart of the whole country, he said.

“The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi gave us a chance to highlight the noble traditional values and priceless heritage of our ancestors and express our deep gratitude to those who founded the country as well as President Ho Chi Minh, revolutionary veterans, and heroic martyrs who laid down their lives for national independence and freedom,” Triet said.

“We are responsible for preserving and upholding the ancestors’ traditions and raising them to a new level in the Ho Chi Minh era,” he further said.

President Triet called on the whole population to unite and use energy, brain power and talent to build Hanoi into a civilised, modern and beautiful capital capable of keeping pace with other cities in the world.

Following President Triet’s speech, there was a grand parade with ten helicopters flying above carrying the Party and National flags and banners saying “The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi”.

The parade, the biggest of its kind, attracted the participation of representatives from different groups, including the army, war veterans, the youth, workers, farmers, intellectuals, State employees, entrepreneurs, religions, women and overseas Vietnamese.

The celebration concluded with art performance by 2,000 artists and actresses and with release of balloons and doves into the sky above historic Ba Dinh square./.

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Ancient Citadel to open to visitors on Hanoi’s anniversary

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the world-recognised heritage site, will open to visitors in time for Hanoi ’s 1,000 th anniversary, according to the Hanoi People’s Committee.

On Sept. 16, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung paid a visit to the site to check the arrangement of artifacts found at the 18 Hoang Dieu street, the archaeological excavation area for the planned exhibition.

The cleanup at relic site of the Thang Long citadel is also expected to finish by September 20.

The same day, a pair of ceramic dragons and an ornamental jar, which are largest ones in Vietnam , were inaugurated to celebrate the 1,000 anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The steel-framed dragons are modelled after the prominent style in the Ly Dynasty. Each is 30m long and decorated with 10,000 plates, cups and bowls.

The works, made by artists of Hanoi ’s Bat Trang traditional craft village, will be displayed at the Bach Thao (botanical) Garden during the celebration.

Also on September 16, the country’s largest drum made by Doi Tam village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province, was brought to Hanoi to be used during the ceremony to celebrate the 1,000 anniversary of the capital city.

The drum has a diametre of 2.35m, a height of 3m and a weight of 1,300kg. It was made by Pham Chi Khang family./.

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Hanoi ready for millennium anniversary in October

A series of important works to dress up and decorate Hanoi is basically complete with just 30 days left until the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi takes place.

The capital city has to date completed 33 major projects, making Hanoi greener, cleaner and more beautiful, according to Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and deputy head of the National Steering Committee on the anniversary.

Prominent among the completed works are the Hanoi Museum, the Saint Giong statue, the Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Ton Duc Thang statues, the Hoa Binh (Peace) park, the Hanoi-Amsterdam Gifted High School , Beltway 3, Thang Long boulevard, the giant embroidered picture entitled “Coi Xua” (Old Origins) and the ceramic road along the Red River.

Besides, following the UNESCO’s recognition of the 82 doctor laureate steles under the Le-Mac dynasties in Van Mieu ( Temple of Literature), the Thang Long Imperial Citadel has been recently recognised as a world cultural heritage by the UNESCO, she said.

"They are invaluable presents on the threshold of the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi," said Hang.

The 10-day festival will bring together many politicians, cultural activists and scientists around the world as well as foreign visitors and overseas Vietnamese.

A solemn ceremony will open the festival in the morning of October 1 at the Ly Thai To Garden. The festival will include a meeting and a march and parade on October 10 at the Ba Dinh Square .

As many as 38 foreign and 20 local art troupes have to date registered to perform during the festival, Hang said.

Thousands of antiques have been selected for exhibition, helping visitors understand the world cultural heritages in Hanoi, she added.

The city has almost completed works on decorating and lighting streets as well as attractive lighting systems around lakes and stadiums and on bridges spanning the Red River./.

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