Hanoi hosts ceremony to mark 60th anniversary of Liberation Day

A grand ceremony was held at the My Dinh National Convention Centre on the morning of October 10 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day (Octorber 10, 1954-2014).

President Truong Tan Sang presents the Ho Chi Minh Order to Hanoi authorities

The ceremony−jointly held by the People's Committee, People's Council, Fatherland Front and Party Committee of Hanoi−saw the presence of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan among other officials and Hanoi citizens.

Addressing the ceremony, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Pham Quang Nghi reviewed the glorious history of the capital city from the resistance war against the French colonialists and the liberation day in 1954, to the present.

From a small city with an area of 150 square kilometres heavily devastated by the wars, Hanoi has undergone four adjustments to its administrative boundaries to expand to more than 3,300 square kilometres and a population of over seven million.

Despite facing many difficulties due to the global economic crisis and the recent tensions in the East Sea, Hanoi has still recorded many outstanding achievements.

The capital posts an average annual economic growth rate of 9.5% per year, 1.5 times higher than the average level of the nation. Hanoi also accounts for 10% of the nation's GDP and 20% of the total State budget revenue.

The Secretary of the municipal Party Committee also highlighted the importance of the capital in ensuring political security and national defence, particularly ensuring safety for the operations of the Party Central Committee, the Government, National Assembly as well as safety for major political and cultural events of the nation and the world held in Hanoi.

Hanoi has established co-operation with more than 100 capitals and cities around the world and was the first city in the Asia-Pacific awarded the title 'City for Peace' by the UNESCO 15 years ago.

At the ceremony, President Truong Tan Sang granted the Ho Chi Minh Order to Hanoi in recognition of its outstanding achievements and contributions to the nation.

Hanoi authorities also presented the title 'Outstanding City's Citizen' to ten Hanoi residents and praised more than 1,100 citizens for their good deeds in 2014.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)