Hanoi is also a reliable destination for external affairs, cooperation, international integration. The capital has left many good impressions in the hearts of international friends and is a place where overseas Vietnamese people place their trust and love.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Mark Rutte cycle around Hanoi during the Dutch Prime Minister's official visit to Vietnam in November 2023. |
Although Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, has not been in Hanoi for long, he has quite a few experiences in the "City for Peace." It can be said that Hanoi is a typical representative of "City for Peace" and peace in general. Since being recognized by UNESCO as the "City for Peace" in 1999, Hanoi has significantly increased in both area and population. However, walking on the streets, they can still feel the ancient beauty of the capital. Even in many different parts of the city, they can feel themselves part of the community as people in Hanoi are friendly and hospitable.
Twenty years after receiving the title "City for Peace," Hanoi was honored as a member of the "UNESCO Creative Cities Network" in 2019, with the goal of using cultural resources and cultural creativity as the foundation for sustainable urban development. This recognition was the affirmation of the achievements that Hanoi had made in maintaining and developing the criteria of a City for Peace.
UNESCO believes that culture is one of the most important aspects in promoting peace. Joining the "UNESCO Creative Cities Network," Hanoi - the Capital of Heritage - where historical and cultural elements converge with many international and national tangible and intangible cultural heritage - has more favorable conditions to popularize its image in all fields of cultural creativity.
Becoming a member of the network has created motivation for Hanoi to develop an action program to implement its commitments to promote culture, culture industries and creativity. It also plays an important role in raising the position and building a new and more attractive image of the capital.
The brand of a creative city in the field of design will be a driving force for Hanoi to build and attract more investment, provide incentives for the development of urban areas, education and cultural events associated with the vision of sustainable development.
Born and raised in Hanoi, for Overseas Vietnamese Pham Phu Thinh, Systems analyst at Services Australia - agency of the Australian Government, the image of Hanoi people is always imbued with beauty and elegance. Hanoi with small streets and alleys is narrow and crowded, but full of neighborliness. The streets are shaded by green trees, the Old Quarter is both vibrant and steeped in the quietness of a thousand years of history.
Over the past time, Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general have boosted international cooperation and integration, obtaining positive results in external affairs. This is not only a resource but also a soft power, a driving force for the capital to develop into a globally-connected city, an international integration center in the region and the world.
However, Hanoi’s growth is not commensurate with its potential and strengths. The capital’s foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in the first 2 months of this year ranked first nationwide. Nevertheless, it was mainly the contribution and return of familiar partners. To reach sustainable growth, it is necessary to seek new partners to attract investment; expand export markets to new areas with great potential; and balance between fields in each stage to promote the strengths of each field.
In order for Hanoi to become an international integration center in the region and the world, as well as a globally-connected city, Hanoi should focus on modernization and investment in infrastructure such as airports, roads, bridges; expand more accommodation facilities, including hotels, international standard conference centers; and have many famous architectural works in the region, to name but a few.
Meanwhile, Hanoi should do better in architectural planning to create a better development space for enterprises and people; further promote administrative procedure reform; encourage individuals and enterprises to participate in the digital transformation; and honor individuals and enterprises with practical contribution to digital transformation.
Every time Phan Dinh Cong, overseas Vietnamese in Prague capital of the Czech Republic, returns to Vietnam, he always stays in Hanoi for a few days. He has a habit of riding a motorbike around 36 streets and enjoy typical dishes of Hanoi, including Pho, Thanh Tri steamed rice rolls, West Lake shrimp cakes, La Vong grilled fish, green rice flakes in Vong village, and others.
After seven years, Hanoi surprised him with the rapid development of the transport infrastructure. Taking a ride on Cat Linh - Ha Dong and Nhon - Hanoi Station metro lines, he saw that Hanoi is gradually catching up with the development trend of big cities in the world. Hanoi's goal of constructing a more than 400km urban railway system by 2035 will contribute to improving urban landscape; creating the habit of using public transport and improving traffic culture; addressing traffic congestion; and protecting the environment.
When abroad, following the news about Vietnam, overseas Vietnamese and he feel proud of the homeland, as heads of state have visited Vietnam, walking, cycling, enjoying street food, drinking coffee in Hanoi. Moreover, many major international and regional events have been held in Hanoi and prominently reported by the world media. Only after being away from home for so long can they understand how meaningful beautiful images of the homeland of Vietnam are!
Translated by Quynh Oanh