Untold stories behind the lens of the Hanoi Convention signing ceremony

The Foreign Press Center is not only a workplace, but also a common home, where Vietnam's story is told to the world.

* Notes by Mr. Luong Hoang Giap, Director of the Foreign Press Guidance Center, Department of Diplomatic Corps Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the working anniversary within the framework of the signing ceremony of the United Nations (UN) Convention against Cybercrime (also known as the Hanoi Convention) taking place from October 25-26.

Mr. Luong Hoang Giap, Director of the Foreign Press Guidance Center, Department of Diplomatic Corps Services. (Photo: Xuan Son)

Having served hundreds of press delegations accompanying high-level visits and participating in many major conferences and events organized by Vietnam, for me and my colleagues, the Hanoi Convention Opening Ceremony still left very special "lingering" memories after the two official days of the Conference and the months of preparation before.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hanoi Convention Opening Ceremony is perhaps one of the largest and most important multilateral international events held in Vietnam.

The host country and the UN have closely coordinated and successfully implemented a large-scale event, with dense multilateral and bilateral activities, with the participation of representatives of more than 100 countries and many international organizations. That success, perhaps no one can deny.

For the Foreign Press Guidance Center team, what we remember most is the work of arranging and organizing working positions for all Vietnamese and international reporters: meticulous, stressful but also full of pride.

We understand that due to work requirements, reporters may sometimes not comply with regulations on badges and standing positions. Every situation is foreseen, every plan is prepared.

The number of reporters registered to attend the Hanoi Convention signing ceremony was very large, requiring the Foreign Press Guidance Center to carry out careful and thorough preparations. (Photo: Hoang Giap)

On the morning of October 25, more than three hours before the opening ceremony, when we entered the event area, we were somewhat reassured: The press areas were neatly arranged, the working positions had “nice angles”, and the coordinating units such as the Guard Command, the Ministry of Public Security and the Press Information Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) had all carefully reviewed the reporter orientation plan. Thanks to that, all crews got the desired frames.

During our on-site press support, we understood the value of such cooperation even more clearly. Many international reporters left us with lasting impressions.

Mr. Nemungadi Nompha, the reporter accompanying the President of South Africa, always kept a smiling face, a gentle attitude and did not forget to say "thank you" after each task he was supported with.

He said he had reported in many countries and on many major events, but the spirit of cooperation and understanding of the Center's staff towards foreign reporters was "truly admirable".

Similarly, Ms. Alanoud Abdulrahman Althabi, a reporter from the Qatar delegation, had an accident with her registration card, which prevented her from getting into the main position of the photo booth at the Opening Ceremony.

After listening to her presentation, the Center immediately coordinated with the Guard Command to support her in standing at a "favorable position" for a short time, enough to record the important moment of the group.

When returning to her assigned position, she shared that she was a bit uncomfortable at first, but then “really thank you for being flexible and handling things calmly”. Those notes, in the stressful work cycle, became a great source of encouragement for each staff member of the Center.

Domestic and foreign reporters work at the press center, National Convention Center. (Photo: Hoang Giap)

Also on the morning of October 25, in the host media area, some foreign reporters were not familiar with the layout of the pool numbers and stood in the wrong position. Worried about affecting the live broadcast, I went to remind them. Most of them happily moved on, except for two Turkish reporters carrying large equipment who remained standing, thinking that the armbands they were wearing meant they were allowed to get closer.

The language barrier made it difficult to explain. Finally, we used a translation app. When we understood, one of them showed me his phone screen, which displayed in Vietnamese: “I understand, we are brothers!” That moment moved me to the point of being stunned.

The moment the applause ended the Opening Ceremony and the Signing Ceremony was also the moment when all the staff and experts of the Center truly "breathed a sigh of relief". A large-scale event had passed completely without any unexpected incidents. But to have those two smooth days was a period of stressful preparation.

In the midst of the large auditorium and hundreds of international delegates, I felt more than ever the pride of contributing to the foreign affairs work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For more than 40 years accompanying the renovation process, the Center has served tens of thousands of non-resident foreign correspondents.

Personally, with nearly 20 years of commitment, I still maintain the same passion and enthusiasm as the early days. The previous generations who have now become leaders in many units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs always remind us of the spirit of solidarity, intelligence and national pride.

The Foreign Press Center is not just a workplace, but a common home, a place to tell Vietnam's story to the world and a place where each of us grew up and then continued to mature from that very home.

The event brought together many major news agencies and newspapers, opening up opportunities for Vietnamese media agencies to enhance cooperation, exchange information and create a foundation for future international events. (Photo: Hoang Giap)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/chuyen-chua-ke-dang-sau-ong-kinh-le-mo-ky-cong-uoc-ha-noi-334063.html