Vietnam capital Hanoi turns millennium-old

HANOI - Vietnam Friday kicked off a 10-day programme for celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of the country’s capital city of Hanoi.

Present-day Hanoi, which was known as Thanglong in earlier times, was chosen as Vietnam’s capital city 1,000 years ago, said Pham Quang Nghi, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, at the opening ceremony.

Irina Bokova, Unesco director general, attended the ceremony and applauded the socio-economic accomplishments of Vietnam and Hanoi in the past few decades, Xinhua reported.

The celebrations will provide Vietnamese people and foreign tourists a chance to know more about the history of Hanoi. This opportunity will help promote the image and attractions of Vietnam and Hanoi to the international community, said Bokova.

The Thanglong Imperial Citadel, a 1,300-year-old site, has been recognised in the Unesco heritage list, she said.