Winners of a writing contest marking the 1,010th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi were honoured during a ceremony held in the capital city on October 31.

HUFO Chairwoman Nguyen Lan Huong (R) presents the first prize to Saleem Hammad from Palestine (Photo: VNA)

Organised by the Ha Noi Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), the contest offered a chance for international friends and overseas Vietnamese to express their sentiments with Ha Noi, thus enhancing understanding about the “City for Peace”.

As many as 206 entries were sent to the organisers, including those from Japan, France, Russia, Germany, India and Indonesia, Mozambique, the Philippines, Laos and Palestine.

Saleem Hammad from Palestine won the first prize while the two second prizes were presented to Nilov Roman, Third Secretary at the Russian Embassy in Vietnam and Nguyen Thi Tram, an overseas Vietnamese living in Germany.

Pascoela Barreto dos Santos, Ambassador of Timor Leste to Vietnam; Chansida Inkhavilay, Secretary at the Lao Embassy in Vietnam; and Okabe Chikara from Japan, clinched the third prizes.

Many foreign contestants submitted their works in fluent Vietnamese language, voicing their impression on Ha Noi’s architect, landscapes, street foods and friendly residents, HUFO Chairwoman Nguyen Lan Huong said.

Source: VNA