A symposium on “the 2009 year of cultural diplomacy” and measures to enhance diplomatic activities in conjunction with cultural activities were also announced.

From now until the end of the year, the Hanoi Chapter and the Vietnam Friendship Organisations together with a number of overseas countries will co-organise various activities to mark the 10th anniversary of Hanoi’s title “the City of Peace” and the 55^th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day.

They include a peace and friendship music festival, a contest on Thang Long-Hanoi entitled “Hanoi – the place to meet”, a Japanese flower arranging contest and the “Canada run for children”.

In September, the Hanoi Chapter will arrange a visit to France and hold an exhibition of Vietnamese traditional dresses, “ao dai”, and publish a handbook on Hanoi’s cuisine in six languages to mark Thang Long-Hanoi’s forthcoming millennial anniversary.

To publisise the capital’s historical and cultural traditions, the chapter has oganised exchange programmes for international friends to visit a number of famous tourist spots in Hanoi, including the Son Tay Citadel, the Duong Lam ancient village, Va Temple in Son Tay town, the spiral-shaped Co Loa Citadel in Dong Anh district and the Thanh Chuong Palace in Soc Son district.