Unforgettable days on the journey towards the big title

Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs Tran Nghia Hoa.

As someone who has been closely involved in the capital's foreign affairs and experienced the early days when Hanoi was preparing to burst into tears upon receiving this title, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs Tran Nghia Hoa shared that it was still an "unforgettable memory".

Mr. Hoa said: In the late 90s of the last century, the world situation was volatile, armed conflicts were fierce in many places around the world, so the United Nations wanted to promote the values of peace and emphasize that peace is not achieved by guns and bullets, but by culture. From there, UNESCO had the initiative to award the "City for Peace" prize.

At the end of 1998, upon receiving the notice from UNESCO, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO recommended that Hanoi City participate in the candidacy. Notably, at that time, Hanoi had just hosted and made a great contribution to the success of the 7th Francophone Summit (November 1997), the 6th ASEAN Summit (December 1998) and was on the way to the 990th and 1,000th anniversaries of Thang Long - Hanoi.

Although the criteria for the award were considered very high, Hanoi at that time was still determined, actively and closely coordinated with the National Commission for UNESCO to develop a project and plan to participate in the candidacy, and submit it to the Government for approval. The Department of Foreign Affairs was assigned to be the focal agency, presiding over and coordinating with relevant units to plan the implementation of the project to advise the city.

At that time, Tran Nghia Hoa was just a freshman working at the Department of Foreign Affairs. He was assigned to work with the staff to prepare detailed documents; and at the same time, he participated in working delegations to gain support from international friends.

Hanoi is peaceful in the early autumn morning.

According to the Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs: During this period, Vietnam's position is on the rise. The country's renovation has initially achieved important achievements in many fields. Vietnam has also normalized relations with the US, signed a cooperation agreement with the European Union as well as joined the ASEAN common house.

“This is a huge advantage for Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general when participating in the nomination. However, the journey to the award also encountered many difficulties when international friends knew Vietnam as the name of a war and not as a country thirsting for peace,” the Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs recalled.

Letter and documents sent by Vietnam to UNESCO in 1999. (Source: Hanoi Moi Newspaper)

In the candidacy profile, the brief introduction about the capital Hanoi stated: “ Through the ups and downs of Vietnam’s history, Hanoi has been heavily affected by prolonged wars of invasion many times. Therefore, Hanoi was the capital of one of the poorest and most backward countries in the world in 1975. However, since 1986, when the Vietnamese Government began to apply the policy of innovation, trade promotion and opening up to integrate with the world, Hanoians, with their efforts and dynamism, have brought about remarkable changes to the beloved city.

Hanoi hosted and contributed greatly to the success of the Conference of Francophone Countries in November 1997 and the ASEAN Summit in December 1998. On this occasion, high-ranking leaders and international friends from many countries had the opportunity to witness a green, clean, beautiful and peaceful Hanoi, especially the friendliness, warmth and enthusiasm of Hanoi people. With its history and specific achievements, Hanoi is certified to be eligible to register for the “UNESCO City for Peace Award ”.

UNESCO City for Peace Certificate awarded to Hanoi Capital. (Photo: Hanoi Moi Newspaper)

Ao Dai show on the streets of Hanoi.

Abroad, the permanent representative delegation to UNESCO at that time focused on mobilizing agencies and organizations within UNESCO and international friends to gain their support for Vietnam, through presenting the nature and tradition of loving peace of our nation as well as the thousand-year-old cultural tradition of Hanoi; the great efforts of Hanoi in building and developing the capital in all aspects.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs said that many business trips of city leaders to Paris, Moscow, etc. also included campaigning content to gain support from other countries for this award.

Announcement letter awarding the title of City for Peace to Hanoi. (Source: Hanoi Moi Newspaper)

In particular, the working group that directly campaigned included comrade Nguyen Dy Nien, then Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoi, Director of the UNESCO Department of Culture and External Relations, officials of the UNESCO Department of Culture and External Relations and the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Hoa himself was also "seconded" to France for 90 days to carry out his duties. "For 3 months, I was a member of the delegation attending meetings in Paris. After work, I was arranged to stay in the kitchen in the basement of the house of Ambassador Trinh Duc Du - Head of the Vietnamese delegation to UNESCO for the 1996-1999 term."

During this time, Mr. Hoa had the opportunity to meet and receive advice from many great scientists, intellectuals, and diplomats. In particular, the young man met and became acquainted with Mr. Firmin Edouard Makoto, who was then a UNESCO specialist in France.

“Through contact, I learned that Mr. Makoto’s mother is Vietnamese. He loves Vietnam naturally from the bottom of his heart,” said the Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

On the next visit to Hanoi by Firmin Edouard Makoto, Mr. Hoa took the initiative to take his new friend – also a UNESCO expert – on a motorbike tour of West Lake. They talked a lot about Hanoi, about Makoto’s Vietnamese mother and his “deep sorrows” for his mother’s homeland. Makoto also expressed his desire to meet his distant relatives who were living in the small city that is nearly 1,000 years old.

Mr. Tran Nghia Hoa (wearing glasses, left) during his participation in the Vietnamese delegation in France. (Photo: NVCC)

“Just over a day later, thanks to the support from the contacts, I took Makoto to meet his relatives in a small, somewhat cramped house on Thuy Khue Street. A simple mat was spread out, they sat together, feeling the family affection on the day Makoto returned to his roots,” Mr. Hoa emotionally recalled.

He told us that perhaps it was a miraculous "chance" for Vietnam in general, and Hanoi in particular, to demonstrate their "open hearts, a way of life that takes Love as the most important" and their desire for eternal harmony.