The third Piazza Italia 2019 and the fourth Week of Italian Cuisine in the world opened at Ly Thai To square, Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi last weekend, local media reported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said, after the success of the last year holding, the Piazza Italia 2019 aimed at further tightening the friendship between Hanoi and the Italian Embassy, as well as diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy.

Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro presents his country’s Order of Merit to Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung. Photo: Thuy Linh

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, the Hanoi mayor said.

He stressed that this fruitful cooperation between Hanoi and the Italian embassy is based on the 46-year diplomatic ties between Vietnam an Italy and six years of establishing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

This is also a valuable opportunity for Hanoians and visitors to find a piece of Italian life in the heart of Hanoi, experience the quintessence of the nation with the oldest civilization in Europe, and "live the Italian way", Chung added.

On this occasion, Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro 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 Italy and other countries.