There exists a Hanoi that is veryintimate, lovely, profound and modern, a Hanoi silhouetted inliterature, and the arts, steeped in the sentiments of youth, which isfound on weblogs of Hanoi lovers that link thousands of like-mindedpeople in and outside the country.
On Nguoihanoi.net created by Phung Nguyen Phong, visitors can enjoy “Hanoi art” through categories like Hanoi in literature and songs,photos, paintings, architecture, and tourism.
Additionally, a series of clubs for music, art, cuisine, and sports have helped members make friends.
Meanwhile, Myhanoi.com.vn founded by Ngo Quy Duc focuses on surveys andresearch with an aim of building an online library to preserve thecity’s cultural values. Scholar Nguyen Vinh Phuc, historian Duong TrungQuoc, and other Hanoi historians and cultural researchers serve asadvisors. Members of website regularly organise trips and exchangeprogrammes at sites significant to Hanoi’s historical and culturalheritage--an effective way to access and collect documents.
Another website, Hanoicorner.com is a place for youth to express theirfeelings about Hanoi . Under the topic of “Loving Hanoi,” visitors canwrite stories and diaries about their love affair with the capital, andshare their impressions of the people and the streets.
Despite different goals, all the weblogs were created out of the loveof Hanoi . Having been born and raised here and witnessed the changesthe capital city has undergone, Ngo Quy Duc said he was motivated by adesire to give back to his homeland.
He dreamed of building an online library with information on history,culture, society, economy, and the streets and people of Hanoi over the1,000 years of its development, in order to help people, particularlyyouth, better understand the capital in the past and at present.
In contrast, Phung Nguyen Phong, who created Nguoihanoi.net in 2001,was only aiming to satisfy his feelings of nostalgia while studying inSingapore . At that time, he did not think his weblog would attract thelarge number of members it did several years after he launched it.
The websites are not only a forum for members to post documents andshare their sentiments about Hanoi, but also places for them to appealfor donations for disadvantaged children and the elderly.
Their simple love for Hanoi has brought many strangers closer together.
Vietnam, US see encouraging results in settling war consequences
The two former adversaries have worked together to tackle the lasting impacts of the war, including UXO detecting and clearance, the search for those missing in action, and dioxin/Agent Orange remediation. These efforts have become a foundation of the Vietnam–US relationship, helping to elevate it to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
