Hanoi’s Ly Thai To square turned into Piazza Italia
Last weekend (November 23-24), Ly Thai To square was turned into Piazza Italia, a truly Italian experience with entertainment going on overnight for the first ever “white night” in Hanoi.
The third Piazza Italia 2019 and the fourth Week of Italian Cuisine in the World taking place at Ly Thai To square, Hoan Kiem district.
The annual “Piazza Italia” cultural fair and Italian Gastronomy Week saw the Ly Thai To square transformed into an Italian square (Piazza Italia) with booths for Italian foods, drinks and products.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on November 23, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said the Piazza Italia 2019 is held to further tighten the friendship between Hanoi and the Italian Embassy in Vietnam as well as diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Italy in general.
It has become an annual cultural event providing a truly Italian experience where visitors have the opportunity to dive into various aspects of Italian lifestyle: gastronomy, music, design, fashion, cinema, sports and much more, he said.
An art performance by Vietnamese artists.
Visitors have the opportunity to dive into various aspects of Italian lifestyle: gastronomy, music, design, fashion, cinema, sport and much more.
Cooking competition.
According to Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro, the Piazza featured a fashion show by Aristino; cooking demonstrations and competition by Italian food strategist and chef Stefania Corrado; concerts by the original “a cappella” group Mezzotono, jazz singer from Naples Simona De Rosa, Morning Glory jazz band from Hai Phong, teachers and students from the National University of Arts Education; a performance of artists from Thang Long Music and Dance Theater; international music with Italian DJ Walter Natale; karaoke contest; football presentations by AC Milan; screening of live football matches of the Italian “Serie A” in cooperation with FPT-Television; screening of the Italian movie “Quo vado?” by Checco Zalone.
There also included a food court, with some of the best Italian restaurants in Hanoi and distributors of Italian products. It was a diverse journey through the extraordinary Italian taste, thus celebrating the 4th Week of the Italian Cuisine in the world; some of the best Italian brands in Vietnam, as well as iconic products of Italian design.
The 4th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, themed “"Food education: the culture of taste”, was celebrated all over the world from November 18-24.
Some of the best Italian restaurants in Hanoi and distributors of Italian products at the event.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro presents his country’s Order of Merit to Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.
On the occasion, Ambassador Antonio Alessandro on November 23 presented his country’s Order of Merit to Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.
The Order of Merit is awarded to foreign individuals who have made particularly important contributions to the development of the relationship between the two countries in general and of Italy in particular./.
Balade en France, also known as Walk in France, is Vietnam's largest French food festival, is ongoing at the King Ly Thai To Monument near Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.
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On the afternoon of October 22, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen received a delegation from Lichtenberg District (Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany) led by District Mayor Martin Schaefer during their visit and working session with the Hanoi People’s Committee.
On October 20, 2025, Vietnamese Consul General in Khon Kaen (Thailand) Dinh Hoang Linh had a working session with Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University - one of Thailand’s largest, most prestigious, and oldest universities.
On October 21, the Dien Bien Union of Friendship Organizations held its first congress for the 2025-2030 tenure. The congress reached a strong consensus on the direction of activities for the new term, emphasizing the need to raise awareness across the entire political system about the importance of people-to-people diplomacy; to renew the content and methods of operation; to promote the application of digital technology and modern communication; and to closely align activities with the goals of socio-economic development and the protection of national border sovereignty.
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In recent years, the An Giang Union of Friendship Organizations has continuously renewed the content and methods of its activities, enhancing the effectiveness of peace, solidarity, friendship, and people-to-people cooperation programs. These efforts have helped deepen and strengthen the province’s people-to-people diplomacy, making positive contributions to socio-economic development and promoting the image of An Giang to international friends.
Over more than 50 years of partnership and connection, Vietnam and Finland have achieved numerous positive results in their cooperation - a strong foundation and valuable experience for both nations to advance together on a new path of development.