Preserving the essence of Hanoi's people in a century-long vision (Final Part): Shaping graceful Hanoians for the new era
WVR - Hanoi is striving to build a modern capital while preserving its elegant and civilized cultural identity through a 100-year vision.
Latest
| Concluding the series, “Preserving the essence of Hanoi's people in a century-long vision,” we offer contemporary perspectives on a fundamental question: How can Hanoi achieve faster, more modern development while preserving the essence that has defined its identity as a thousand-year-old capital? Our answer is that a 100-year vision depends as much on the preservation and continuation of the cultural values that have shaped the soul of Thang Long–Hanoi as it does on infrastructure projects, new roads, and economic growth targets. When every citizen recognizes that they are an integral part of this identity, the capital will not only rise through new developments but also flourish through the elegance, civility, and cultural values that have been preserved and passed down from generation to generation. From a century-long planning vision and the imperative of safeguarding cultural values to the ongoing effort to build a graceful and civilized Hanoi, one truth remains clear: all development strategies ultimately center on people. A city can transform its physical landscape within a few decades, but its identity can only endure when it is nurtured through the awareness, values, and daily conduct of each citizen. |
 |
| Leaders of the Party, State, and Hanoi City along with business representatives at the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026. (Source: Nhan Dan) |
A 100-year vision begins with its people
Some values that form the identity of a land do not lie in architectural works or growth figures but are preserved in the essence of its people. For Hanoi, after more than a thousand years of history, the most enduring legacy is the culture of behavior, the elegance, and sophistication that have become a distinct feature of this ancient capital. Therefore, building a graceful and civilized Hanoi in the new era is not just a cultural development goal but also a preservation of core values that sustain the vitality of the capital on its journey toward the future.
The Party Committee of Hanoi City always identifies building a graceful and civilized Hanoi as an important part of the cultural development strategy, forming a cultural value system associated with promoting the profound human values of Thang Long - Hanoi; considering this as a vital resource and motivation for the development of the capital.
Speaking at the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026 organized by the Hanoi City People's Committee, Politburo Member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed that the event not only announced a plan but also sent a message of determined action, clearly demonstrating the political resolve of the City in implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the 18th City Party Congress into life, in line with the directives of General Secretary and President To Lam: “Hanoi says what it does, does it quickly, does it right, does it effectively, and does it to the end.”
The National Assembly Chairman affirmed that Hanoi holds a particularly important position and role, not only as the national political-administrative centre but also as a major centre for culture, education, science - technology, innovation, and international integration; a key growth pole of the Capital Region, the Red River Delta, and the entire country.
 |
| National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man visits the exhibition area introducing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision. (Photo: Organizing Board) |
Especially, from July 1, 2026, the Capital Law comes into effect, granting Hanoi many special mechanisms for decentralization of management, resource mobilization, infrastructure investment, urban development, science - technology, and investment attraction. This is considered a historic opportunity for the capital to break through and realize its 100-year development vision, aiming to become a globally connected city, a center of innovation, finance, commerce, and services with high competitiveness in the region.
According to the National Assembly Chairman, Vietnam is facing a great opportunity to break through, as the development aspirations converge with the correct policies of the Party, the consensus of the whole society, and the trust of the international community. A stable political system, a rapidly renewing economy, a continuously improving legal system, along with a capital with a 100-year development vision and superior special institutional framework, are important foundations to aim for the goal of building Hanoi into a globally connected city, a center of innovation, finance, commerce, and services with high competitiveness in the region.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man believes that with the tradition of culture, heroism, development aspirations, and determination to innovate, Hanoi will certainly affirm its leading role, creating a strong spread to the entire Capital Region and the whole country; becoming an attractive destination for investors, a place of convergence for intelligence, technology, resources, and new development ideas.
However, a modern city is not only measured by new roads, large bridges, or economic growth indicators. What creates the sustainable vitality of a city is its people. If planning determines the appearance of the city, then the culture of behavior of the people determines the identity of that city.
Hanoi today is very different from a few decades ago. The urban space is continuously expanding, the population is increasing, the pace of life is faster, and cultural exchanges are taking place strongly. These changes are inevitable in the development process, but they also pose the requirement to preserve the core values that have shaped the identity of the capital.
 |
| Art program celebrating the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026. (Photo: Organizing Board) |
What makes Hanoi's lasting appeal is not only Ho Guom (Returned Sword Lake), the old quarter, or the modern constructions rising every day, but also its people. Over more than a thousand years of history, Hanoi has become a treasure trove containing thousands of historical and cultural relics. The interweaving of past and present has given Hanoi a special charm of the ancient capital, where ancient tiled roofs are close to modern architectural works, where ancient customs are preserved alongside new cultural features of today.
Hanoians are known for their politeness in speech, moderation in behavior, valuing relationships, maintaining etiquette, and respecting others. These are not formal stereotypes but the essence of Thang Long's cultural heritage, cultivated over many generations.
Today, the concept of "graceful and civilized Hanoians" also carries a broader meaning. Elegance is not just the traditional dress on holidays or proper attire. Elegance is also the awareness of respecting the community, the responsibility for shared living spaces, the professional, honest, humane work attitude, and the cultural behavior in cyberspace. It is the blend of tradition and modernity, between a thousand-year identity and the demands of a smart city and a creative city.
Some may wonder if, in today's hectic pace of life, Hanoi can still maintain its inherent elegance. In reality, life may change, but good values still manifest in many simple actions: Queuing in public places, giving up seats to the elderly on buses, saying thank you, apologizing at the right time, maintaining environmental hygiene, or being ready to help others when needed.
It is no coincidence that many visitors to Hanoi have special affection for the people here. What they remember is not only the beautiful scenery or cuisine but also the friendly smiles, the enthusiastic directions, the kindness of strangers. These simple things contribute to creating a beautiful image of the capital.
 |
| Politburo Member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang speaks at the Conference honouring exemplary cultural families of the capital in 2026. (Photo: Viet Thanh) |
Speaking at the recent Conference honouring exemplary cultural families of the capital in 2026, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang affirmed that in the development journey of the thousand-year-old cultural and heroic capital, family values passed down through generations are the source of patriotism, the spirit of "Determined to die for the Fatherland to live" and the strength for Hanoi to overcome all challenges, contributing to the glorious history of the nation.
At the same time, the family is also where cultural lifestyles are preserved, intelligence is nurtured, forming the essence of graceful and civilized Hanoians, creating a great internal strength for the sustainable development of the capital today and in the future. These good values are being preserved and promoted in social life...
According to the Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, the city is entering a new development phase with the goal of building the capital of "Heritage – Civility – Modernity – Happiness"; placing people at the centre, as the subject, goal, and motivation of development. The city places culture at the centre of the socio-economic development strategy, "Heritage - Identity - Innovation" are the enduring core values, serving as Hanoi's intrinsic strengths and soft power, and providing the foundation for its resilience, wisdom, and drive for development.
“Each cultural family is a healthy cell of society; a happy family will create a civilized community, thereby contributing to realizing the goal of building a Capital of "Heritage-Civility-Modernity-Happiness". The city always identifies family work as an important, regular, and long-term task; linking family building with building the cultural environment of the graceful and civilized capital; linking the happiness of each family with the sustainable development of the capital and the country,” Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang emphasised.
Besides the positive aspects, the rapid urbanization process also poses many challenges. Population pressure, crowded traffic, and a fast-paced life lead to some inappropriate behaviors such as jostling, littering, or extreme behavior on social media. However, we should not deny the foundational values that most people are preserving and promoting because of these individual phenomena.
| Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang emphasized: “Every policy, project, and development work of the capital must ultimately answer the fundamental questions: What do people benefit from, how is the quality of life improved, and how are the Thang Long - Hanoi identity preserved and promoted?” |
Therefore, building graceful and civilized Hanoians has become a continuous task of the City.
Directive No. 30-CT/TU dated February 19, 2024, of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee on "Strengthening the leadership of the Party Committee in building graceful and civilized Hanoians" demonstrates the determination to make building people the foundation of sustainable development, considering culture as the internal strength of the capital in the new phase.
But a directive, no matter how correct, can only be effective when it is transformed into the awareness and actions of each citizen.
Building graceful Hanoians cannot stop at slogans but must become a habit in daily life.
Planning only matters when it is brought to life
At the 17th Hanoi Party Congress (term 2020 - 2025), the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong set the requirement for Hanoi to build graceful, civilized, modern, law-abiding Hanoians who truly live culturally, representing the national culture. In Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated May 5, 2022, on the Orientation and Tasks for the Development of Hanoi Capital until 2030, with a vision to 2045, the Politburo continues to set the requirement to build elegant, graceful, humane, civilized Hanoians, representing the culture, conscience, and dignity of the Vietnamese people.
 |
| Party Central Committee Member, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Chairman of the Hanoi City People's Committee Vu Dai Thang speaks at the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026. (Photo: Organizing Board) |
Meanwhile, at the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026, Chairman of the Hanoi City People's Committee Vu Dai Thang emphasised: “The conference marks the beginning of the process of bringing the plan to life; effectively utilizing new mechanisms and policies; mobilizing and efficiently using all resources to achieve the capital's development goals. Planning only truly matters when it is realized through projects, initiatives, and specific development results. Therefore, what the business community is concerned about today is not just the vision of the plan, but the foundations Hanoi has prepared to turn that vision into reality.”
In reality, the success of a plan is not measured by its scale or vision on paper but by its effectiveness in implementation. Investment figures, infrastructure, or growth will only have value when transformed into more efficient transportation connections, expanded public spaces, higher quality residential areas, and more development opportunities for people. This is also the way to realize the goal of building Hanoi into a cultural, modern, sustainably developing city while preserving its unique identity.
Besides the development orientations and project lists announced, the issues raised by Politburo Member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang have attracted attention. These include: How will people benefit from the plan; how will the quality of life change? How will the Thang Long - Hanoi identity be preserved and promoted with specific solutions? These questions are not only requirements for the implementation process of the plan but also a measure to evaluate the effectiveness of development policies in the future.
| Speaking on the occasion of extending New Year w wishes to the Party, Government, Army, and people of Hanoi in 2022, the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong once said: “Hanoi is not just a city but a City for Peace, the Capital of conscience and human dignity, the thousand-year-old cultural and heroic capital, elegant and graceful, where the soul of the nation lingers for thousands of years…” |
Standing Vice Chairman of the Hanoi City People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan also affirmed: “The development plan for Hanoi Capital this time is not merely a technical specialized project but a comprehensive strategic tool and a strong action platform on an area of 3,359 km2, covering all 126 administrative units at the commune and ward level according to the new structure. Taking the cultural depth of Thang Long - Hanoi as an eternal internal resource, taking people as the center and subject of development.”
Ultimately, planning is the starting point of a development journey. What determines success is the ability to organize implementation, policy synchronization, and the ability to transform strategic goals into specific values that people can feel in their daily lives. This is also the factor that creates sustainable vitality for a city aiming for a 100-year vision.
With modern governance thinking, placing citizens and investors at the centrr, Hanoi is entering a new promising development phase. The Comprehensive Plan with a 100-year vision is not just a technical document but a comprehensive strategy, a solid foundation for the capital to rise to become a cultural, civilized, modern, and happy city.
Every vitizen is a "Cultural Ambassador"
 |
| National Assembly Delegate Bui Hoai Son emphasizes that Hanoi must develop through identity, lifestyle, heritage, elegance, civility, creativity, and aspiration. (Source: National Assembly) |
From his perspective, National Assembly deputy Bui Hoai Son, a full member of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, believes that the elegant culture of Hanoians is the result of the crystallization of cultural values in lifestyle and behavior over a thousand years of history of the capital - a land that gathers people, gathers professions, and radiates all those values. The exemplary values in the elegant culture of Hanoians are expressed through many legends, folk songs, proverbs, and songs… so that whenever we hear, think, or remember them, we feel proud and affectionate.
Mr. Bui Hoai Son pointed out that a 100-year vision plan requires perseverance through many terms, generations of leadership, and development cycles. The most challenging aspect of long-term planning is not envisioning the future but maintaining the discipline of implementation in the present.
Emphasizing the importance of culture, National Assembly deputy Bui Hoai Son stressed that if Hanoi only develops through concrete, skyscrapers, and roads, it is not enough to become a livable capital. Hanoi must develop through memories, identity, lifestyle, heritage, elegance, civility, creativity, and the aspirations of Hanoians.
Building graceful and civilized Hanoians is not about grand gestures. It is about small actions carried out with daily self-awareness: Dressing appropriately in public places, speaking politely, listening and respecting others; not shouting, not being extreme in debates; knowing how to queue, not jostling; saying "sorry" and "thank you" at the right time; not littering, not running red lights...
There is a thought-provoking reality that children learn cultural behavior from the actions of adults more than from textbooks. When a child sees their parents stop at the right line, give way to pedestrians, gently thank the server, or patiently queue, those lessons will stay with them for life. Therefore, the family is always the first environment to form the essence of Hanoians.
Schools continue this role through education in personality, life skills, and civic awareness. Lessons about the history of Thang Long, about the cultural tradition will become more vivid when associated with specific behaviors in life. A student who keeps the school clean, greets teachers, and respects friends is also contributing to building the image of graceful Hanoians in the future.
Along with families and schools, the community plays a particularly important role. When beautiful behaviors are praised, civilized manners become common habits, and every neighborhood considers maintaining the environment and building a cultural lifestyle as a shared responsibility, positive values will gradually become social norms.
In the digital age, the concept of graceful Hanoians also needs to be extended to cyberspace. Civility is not only shown on the streets but also in every comment, every share, and every behavior on digital platforms. False information, an insulting word, or unchecked statements go against the elegant spirit that is the core value of Hanoians.
 |
| Dr. Trinh Le Anh believes that preserving the elegant and civilized cultural values of Hanoi is increasingly important. (Photo: NVCC) |
Sharing with The World and Vietnam Report, Dr. Trinh Le Anh (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) once emphasized that the elegant and civilized values characteristic of Hanoians need to be preserved as a topic not only related to the past but also tied to the present and future of the city.
Hanoi today is a rapidly developing city with strong social, economic, and cultural changes. In this context, preserving the elegant and civilized cultural values becomes more important, requiring a change in the approach of each individual and community.
Therefore, subtlety in communication and behavior is needed. One of the most noticeable characteristics of Hanoians is the subtlety in communication. Hanoians, especially native Hanoians, always pay attention to using polite language, showing respect to the interlocutor. However, in modern society, the rush, fast-paced life, and technological pressure have caused many people to lose patience in communication.
"Preserving this subtlety requires a change in the perception of the value of polite communication. Small actions such as appropriate addressing, maintaining a suitable distance when talking, or listening to others need to be reaffirmed in daily life," Dr. Trinh Le Anh emphasized.
Moreover, in the process of urbanization and modernization, Hanoi has been and is receiving many cultural features from outside. This raises the question of how to maintain elegance and civility in such a diverse cultural environment. The important thing is the adaptability of Hanoians to new elements, but not losing their unique identity. Traditional values need to be transformed to fit the modern context, such as polite behavior on technology platforms and social networks.
 |
| Looking towards a 100-year vision, Hanoi not only aims to become a modern, smart city or a regional innovation center. (Photo: Organizing Board) |
Building people is always the most challenging task because it is not about changing infrastructure or constructions but about transforming perceptions and behaviors. But precisely because of this, its results will be the most sustainable. A city can build more bridges, more modern roads, but if it lacks people who respect the law, behave civilly, and live responsibly with the community, that development is unlikely to be complete.
With a 100-year vision, Hanoi not only aims to become a modern, smart city or a regional innovation centre. More importantly, it aims to build a capital where people still retain the cultural essence that has shaped the identity of this thousand-year-old land. Tradition is not for nostalgia but to become the foundation for the present and future. Modernity does not deny old values but continues and enriches values that have been tested by time.
| In his lifetime, Professor Tran Quoc Vuong once affirmed: "Thang Long - Hanoi has its own cultural style; a unique language nuance - Hanoi dialect; a unique character: Sophisticated, intelligent, brave, open-minded; a unique way of interacting: Subtle, delicate, elegant, graceful." |
Therefore, preserving the essence of Hanoi people in a 100-year vision is not just today's story; it is the responsibility of many generations. Every polite word, every civilized behavior, every responsible act towards the community contributes to enriching the cultural appearance of the capital.
When every citizen is aware that they are a "cultural ambassador," the image of a graceful and civilized Hanoi will not only exist in memories or books but will continue to be preserved, spread, and develop along with the country's progress.
 |
| The Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision aims to make Hanoi a center of innovation, a global city... (Photo: Thuy Chi) |
That is also the most sustainable value of a thousand-year-old cultural capital: Not only having timeless heritage but also having people who know how to preserve and continue the essence of Hanoi through simple daily actions. The elegant and civilized values characteristic of Hanoians not only need to be preserved but also developed to fit modern society. This is not only the responsibility of each individual but also the task of the entire society in creating and maintaining a standard cultural behavior amidst a city that is constantly renewing and developing.
| On the morning of June 29, the Hanoi City People's Committee organized the Conference announcing the Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision and investment promotion in 2026. The Comprehensive Plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision is built on the foundation of the Politburo's Resolution No. 02, the Capital Law of 2026, and the National Assembly's resolutions. The plan establishes a development philosophy that places people at the centre, taking the cultural depth of Thang Long - Hanoi as an internal resource, while shaping the development roadmap to 2035, 2045, and a vision beyond 2065, aiming to make Hanoi a centre of innovation, a global city, among the capitals with the highest quality of life and happiness index in the world. |
