The Hanoi People's Committee held a ceremony to confer the title honorary citizen of Hanoi to former Romanian Ambassador to Vietnam Valeriu Arteni on December 3.

Hanoi Mayor Nguyen Duc Chung presents honorary certificate to Valeriu Arteni, former Romanian ambassador to Vietnam. Photo: Bich Phuong

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung emphasized that this is a special event to honor foreign individuals who have made great contributions to the development, friendship and international cooperation between Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general with other countries.

Chung pointed out that in 25 years of living, studying and working in Vietnam, former Romanian Ambassador Valeriu Arteni has played an important role in promoting friendship, cultural connection and exchange between Vietnam and Romania, as well as between Hanoi and Bucharest.

The Hanoi government and people recognize and appreciate the contributions that Valeriu Arteni had made to the capital city, Chung stressed.

He expressed his hope that the honorary citizenship of Hanoi will encourage former Ambassador Valeriu Arteni to continue contributing to the collaborative ties between Vietnam and Romania.

For his part, former Romanian Ambassador Valeriu Arteni said that he considered Vietnam his second homeland.

Expressing his delight at Vietnam’s impressive development, Valeriu Arteni affirmed that he will keep contributing his utmost to promoting cooperation between Vietnam and Romania as well as between Hanoi and Bucharest in the time ahead.