Launching the "Hanoi - Your Meeting Place" contest at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

On the afternoon of May 18, 2009, the Union of Friendship Organizations of Hanoi City, in coordination with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, organized the launching ceremony of the international competition to learn about Thang Long - Hanoi in 2009-2010, entitled "Hanoi - Your Meeting Place".

The competition is open to foreigners and the Vietnamese community abroad. Attending the launch ceremony were representatives from many foreign embassies in Vietnam, such as the embassies of Cuba, Australia, Cambodia, and Russia. Many foreign students studying in Vietnam also participated in the launch event.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/05/18/0896-0082.jpg" border="0" alt="Foreign students at the launching ceremony" title="Foreign students at the launching ceremony" width="320" height="201" align="left" ]

Since 2000, the competition has become an annual event, with a different theme each year to help international friends learn about the history and culture of Hanoi. In the early years, the competition was conducted in Esperanto, but in the last four years, the competition has expanded to six languages: English, French, Russian, Chinese, Esperanto, and Vietnamese.

In 2008, the competition's theme was "Exploring the historical works and cultural heritage of Hanoi," and it received over 1400 entries. This year, the theme is "Towards the Grand Celebration of the 1000th Anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi." With this year's theme, the organizers aim to broaden the scope of knowledge about Hanoi across its 1000-year cultural and historical history, from the ancient Thang Long, through various periods of development, to present-day Hanoi – a peaceful and dynamic city in the era of openness, a capital city – the political and administrative center of the nation, and a major center of culture, education, and economy, currently developing and integrating internationally.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/05/18/0107-0106.jpg" border="0" alt="Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Duc Nghieu: The school leadership will create all conditions for students to participate in this competition" title="Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Duc Nghieu: The school leadership will create all conditions for students to participate in this competition" width="320" height="213" align="left" ]

At the launching ceremony, Associate Professor Pham Xuan Hang - President of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Hanoi City, and Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the competition, stated: “To contribute to striving together for a peaceful, cooperative, and developed world, the Organizing Committee of the competition calls on a large number of international friends from all five continents, and students from various countries studying at Vietnamese universities, to enthusiastically participate in the competition to learn more about the history, culture, and achievements that the people of Hanoi have achieved during the period of renovation and international integration. Your enthusiastic participation will make a significant contribution to the success of the competition and truly contribute to strengthening the friendship between the people of countries around the world and the people of Hanoi.”

Representing the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Vu Duc Nghieu, Vice Rector of the University, stated that the university leadership will create all the necessary conditions for students to participate in this competition. He also hoped that the university's students would participate actively and win many high awards. According to the Associate Professor, the important thing is that through this competition, international friends will gain a better understanding, love, and connection with Hanoi.

Those wishing to participate in the competition can obtain the competition questions and read the reference materials and rules on the website.www.haufo.org.vn.