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./.