Foreigners mingling with crowds of local people during ThangLong-Hanoi’s birthday celebrations, spoke of their feelings about the1,000 year old capital city.

The head of UNESCO’s Office in Hanoi, Katherine Muller Marin, said shewas happy that the first year of her term in Vietnam coincided with thegrand celebrations for the city’s 1,000 th birthday.

Marin attended several activities during the busy festival, includingceremonies to launch the 10 days of celebration, the inauguration of theceramic mosaic mural along the Red River dyke and the opening of thenew Hanoi Museum.

When sharing Hanoians’ joy overthe Red River ceramic mosaic being recognised as a Guinness World theRecord, Marin called it proof of the public’s participation and pride.

She said she would love to stay in Vietnam to workfor a long time and to learn Vietnamese. She added that she considersVietnam her second home.

Finland’s Ambassador toVietnam Pekka Hyvonen showed his perception of Vietnam through hisphotos of Vietnam’s countryside and its people that he took during histours of the country.

He said that he enjoys ridinghis motorbike around Hanoi visiting beautiful places and hopes that thecapital city will be preserved for future generations.

Foreign friends also contributed their ideas and initiatives tomaintain the charm of ancient Hanoi during the modernisation process.

Sorotova Ludmila, the Deputy Mayor of Yaroslav inRussia, suggested raising people’s pride in the country, the capitalcity and its heritage, spreading information about it history anddeveloping tourism and tourist products.

In heropinion, fine art and handicrafts shops, cafes and hotels need to bedeveloped into spots that portray the city’s culture and the rest of thecountry to foreigners./.