OVERVIEW
Thang Long, the ancient Capital City in the past and Hanoi Capital at present day is known as the Holy Land Spirit, as King Ly Cong Uan wrote in his royal proclamation to move the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La 1000 years ago. After the rise and fall of history, Hanoi gradually develops and has become the symbol of faith and determination to figth and win of the nation. Regarding the advance of a center for politics, culture, economy and social of the whole nation, Hanoi Capital has significantly contributed towards outstanding achievements of mutual development and led the economic development, investment attractiveness and is also a safe destination for friends from all over the world. The culture of Hanoi is the pinnacle of the Vietnamese culture and is where maintains values of the nation’s traditional identity imbuing with potential vitality and is the premise for Vietnam to promote its unique values during the integration process. As a matter of fact, in 1999, the world acknowledged the culture of Hanoi when UNESCO recognized Hanoi as the City for Peace.
It is a must to mention the Hanoi’s foreign affairs which have greatly contributed to the mutual success of this city. The development and expansion of friendship relations and gradual multilateral cooperation helps promote Hanoi’s position in the international arena. Besides the City’s foreign affairs, the people-to-people diplomacy work carried out by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations (HAUFO) has greatly contributed to the strengthening of solidarity and friendship between Hanoi and other cities in the world. From only 3 member friendship associations since its establishment in 1992, from then till now, HAUFO has 24 friendship associations and member organizations with hundreds of branches from units and districts with about 30.000 members. HAUFO has established cooperation with more 40 partners in the region and the world to hold activities for peace, friendship, culture and tourism in order to spread the image of Hanoi Capital to international friends and to help them understand the people and culture of Vietnam – the country of a thousand years of civilization. Those activities have provided greatly opened new opportunities for cooperation in various fields, special the field of economy, trade, tourism, etc…On the other hand, HAUFO also calls for and receives sponsorship from friends in the world, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, to support hunger and poverty reduction projects in Hanoi. HAUFO has always proved itself as a friendship connection and a foreign affairs channel, so that both Vietnam and Hanoi can engage in the integration process on the basis “Vietnam wants to be a friend and a reliable partner with all nations in the international community, striving for peace, independence and development”.
For foreigners who study, work and live in Hanoi, they know about HAUFO through the activities they take part in. They consider HAUFO the “house of friendship” where they can meet each others and are warmly and honestly welcome.
Nguyen Lan Huong
Chairwoman
The Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations