Home The Embassy Activities Ambassador Saadi Salama at the Exhibition "15 Years of Hanoi - The City for Peace"

Ambassador Saadi Salama at the Exhibition "15 Years of Hanoi - The City for Peace"

Tuesday, 15 July 2014 10:48

Hanoi - On July 14th, Ambassador Saadi Salama attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition “15 Years of Hanoi – the City for Peace” organized by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations.

Below is the full speech by Ambassador Saadi Salama:

It is my great pleasure and honor today to speak, on behalf of international friends of Vietnam in Hanoi, at the opening ceremony of the exhibition “15 Years of Hanoi – City for Peace” organized by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations. I did not come here as a “guest” of the city but as a “son” with love for his hometown, where I experienced years of my youth with imperishable memories, with a great love and admiration for the magnanimous and human cultural and historic tradition of Vietnamese people.

Hanoi is always a “pinky heart” in the mind of Vietnamese people, a capital with thousands years of cultural history. In the mind of international friends, Hanoi is also a land that represents the glorious history of audacious struggle to guard the nation and peaceful aspiration to build the nation. The legend of Hoan Kiem Lake where Le Loi returned his magical sword to the Golden Turtle becomes a noble symbol of peaceful aspiration of the nation as Nguyen Trai wrote, “compassion is the virtue to embrace in place of violence”. The spirit of “valuing the lasting peace” is also a lesson for the next generations of Vietnamese people.

After the reunification between the North and the South in 1975, Hanoi has pioneered in the process of renovating and reconstructing the country, becoming the bridge of friendship and culture among international friends. The transformation to a dynamic city and the integration into the modern world haven’t change Hanoi’s nature of peace, morality, incisiveness and its unique culture.

The title "City for Peace" which UNESCO awarded Hanoi in 1999 was a worthy gift for Hanoi’s efforts to build a city of stable political environment, guaranteed security, enhanced quality of life and friendly people.

However, the development path for Hanoi in the future also faces difficulties and challenges that requires dedication, determination and breakthrough thinking of its leaders and its people, to pave the way for the cultural values ??of Hanoi shining forever in the City for Peace.

On behalf of the authors participating in the exhibition "15 years of Hanoi - City for Peace", I would like to thank Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations for organizing this very significant event for not only the local people but also the international friends, creating opportunity for us to express our love to Hanoi via our photos we took for years.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we joyfully share the happiness with Hanoi, in many other places around the world, including my homeland, the struggle for national independence, freedom and peace was still paid by blood and tears. But we never lose our faith because peace is the permanently great aspiration of all humanity.

I wish the exhibition a great success and wish peace to the people all around the world.

         Sincerely thank you!