Hanoi spruced up for 1000th celebration

Hanoi, together with the whole country, is now completing its preparations for the upcoming Lunar New Year festival and the celebration of Thang Long – Hanoi, a good match for the city’s thousand-year-old history.
Despite of being up to his eyes in work, cultural researcher Nguyen Vinh Phuc granted a VOV reporter an interview over the matter.
VOV: As a senior researcher on Hanoi, what do you think about the programme to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long –Hanoi which has been approved by the Prime Minister?
Mr. Phuc: We have made very meticulous preparations for the celebration. The first directions on the big festival were issued by the Polibureau in 1988 and since then, many rehearsals have been done for the 990th and 995th anniversaries.
In my opinion, it is a creative plan to organise the 10-day celebration on a national scale, as it is considered the whole nation’s festival. However, the people flocking to the city centre will create problems for the organization of the festival and traffic control. The celebration is, therefore, planned to be held very thoroughly, both physically and mentally.
In terms of physical preparations, there have been many programmes acknowledging national heroes, martyrs’ relatives and Vietnam’s heroic mothers as well as movements to build gratitude houses, great unity houses and serving Vietnam’s heroic mothers.
In terms of intellectual preparations, we have collected materials to build a thousand-year-old Thang Long bookcase, containing repaired and embellished vestiges that had faded into obscurity.
One more thing that deserves compliment is that although the city is busy preparing for the celebration, it maintains policy on the improvement of people’s living conditions. Damages caused by the terrible floods in 2008 have been successfully repaired and no epidemic broke out after the disasters.
VOV: Apart from the initial successes of the preparations, what concerns you most?
Mr. Phuc: Improving people’s behaviour is one of the most concerning matters in preparing for the anniversary. We have seen examples of bad behaviour in the past flower festivals. People’s lack of self-awareness is attributed to ineffective information dissemination and education.
Although there have been many campaigns to promote and establish a cultural lifestyle and family, it will take more time to complete.
VOV: Does the public play an important role in bringing vitality to the festivals?
Mr. Phuc: That’s right. The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi will be a great national festival involving all social sections nationwide. Festivals are held not only for the authorities and organizers but also for the public. It is, therefore, very necessary to mobilize the public’s contribution to the celebrations. People of all classes should take initiative in contributing to the success of the festivals.
VOV: What is the significance of the celebration in raising Vietnam’s role in the world?
Mr. Phuc: It will be a motivation and opportunity for Vietnam to introduce its historical tradition and culture to the world. Vietnamese people will also be more aware of their role in the country.
The Lunar New Year will be a rehearsal for the celebration to honour the nation’s traditional cultural value.
Hanoi has submitted the dossier for doctorate laureate steles and the historical vestige of Thang Long Royal Citadel to UNESCO for its recognition as the world cultural and documentary heritages.