In order to help people better understand the important milestones and turning points of Da Nang from the feudal period of the Nguyen Dynasty to the current development stage, from August 29 to September 12 at the Da Nang Administration Centre, the municipal Department of Home Affairs, in coordination with the National Archives Center I under the national Department of State Records and Archives, organised an exhibition on Da Nang in the past and present, along with the city’s rise through nearly 200 documents and images published for the first time.

The exhibition space displays nearly 200 archival documents with important events of the city at the exhibition ‘From Cua Han to a livable city’. Photo: HUYNH VU

Attending the exhibition ‘From Cua Han to a livable city’, many visitors felt like they was lost in the story of the city’s current events with a unique design divided into large, colourful paper panels, sequentially connected, with clear headings. Through nearly 200 archival documents, the exhibition is divided into 2 themes ‘Da Nang in the past’ and ‘Da Nang today’.

‘Da Nang in the past’ introduces in detail the documents and images from the Nguyen Dynasty to 1975 with Dien Hai Station, Da Nang Port, Da Nang fighting against Western invaders…whilst ‘Da Nang Today’ clearly depicts the whole scene of the liberation of Da Nang on March 29, 1975.

After that, Da Nang became a city under the province of Quang Nam - Da Nang, started to promote labour production. Next, in nearly 30 years of being a centrally-run city, the city’s government and people unanimously implemented many important policies, bringing the miracle development to the city to date with the title of a city worth visiting, worth living in the region.

Continuously using his old phone to take pictures of archived documents at the exhibition, Mr. Huynh Van Lien, 65, Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District accompanied by his niece Huynh Bich Ngoc, 21, expressed that in order for Da Nang to be rich, peaceful, civilized and modern, the breakthrough decisions made by leaders at all levels through the periods have contributed to marking the great changes of the city.

“I hope that not only my generation but also the younger ones will thoroughly understand the past, thereby recognise the current vitality to cherish, preserve, strive to study and work to build a more beautiful city’, Mr. Lien said.

For Bich Ngoc, being able to read and admire documents about the city from the past to the present with many positive changes today made Ngoc more proud of the place where she was born.

According to Mr. Vo Ngoc Dong, the Director of the Da Nang Department of Home Affairs, the exhibition celebrates the 79th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day (September 2).

“After many ups and downs in history, up to now, after nearly 30 years of becoming a centrally-run city, Da Nang has made remarkable developments, gradually affirming its position as a civilised and modern urban area in the Central Region and the whole country. I hope that the exhibition will bring viewers the images of Da Nang then and now, along with the city’s development process through 200 archival documents,” said Mr. Dong.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Duy Thang said that Da Nang has a particularly important geographical position connecting the two ends of the country and is endowed by nature with many advantages from terrain to climate with development potential. However, along with the advantages, Da Nang also faced many challenges in the past. Up to now, through the changes of the times, Da Nang has changed a lot, diversified its colours and become a centre for development in tourism, science, technology, education and health care... in the whole country.

“The exhibition is both a political event and a meaningful cultural product, evoking the pride of the people here as well as the whole country about the beautiful and vibrant city of Da Nang. In the coming time, I hope that the Party Committee, government and people of the city will continue to promote historical traditions and together make more contributions to developing Da Nang into a truly livable city”, Deputy Minister Thang affirmed.

Reporting by HUYNH VU - Translating by A.THU