Hanoi gears up for 80th National Day festivities

THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi will take comprehensive measures to ensure optimal conditions for the rehearsal, final run-through, and official ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Tran Sy Thanh, who also serves as Head of the Organizing Committee for the capital’s celebrations, stressed this view at the committee’s meeting on August 8.

At the meeting, Hanoi’s Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, Pham Xuan Tai, reported that six subcommittees have been established to ensure the successful organization of the events: Parade and March; Content, Publicity, and Health; Security, Order, and Traffic; Environmental Sanitation; Logistics; and Protocol.

The Capital Command has ensured that facilities and venues are available for parade and march rehearsals, meeting all scheduled timelines.

Meanwhile, the Content, Publicity, and Health Subcommittee has developed plans to install LED screens for the public to view the ceremonies and parades. These include six screens at parks, gardens, and playgrounds near major city gateways; 15 screens along 11 parade and march routes; 136 screens in communes and wards; and 127 additional screens, funded by social contributions, without internet connection for publicity purposes.

The Security, Order, and Traffic Subcommittee has prepared traffic control plans, assembly points, and crowd management measures to ensure public safety along parade and march routes.

The Environmental Sanitation Subcommittee has planned for public restrooms to serve an estimated 70,000 attendees at Ba Dinh Square and along event routes, while also strengthening street lighting, drainage, greenery maintenance, and road safety.

Hanoi’s Department of Construction has instructed a halt to road and sidewalk excavation works before August 15 to facilitate public and visitor movement during the celebrations.

The Department of Tourism is working with relevant agencies to prepare for delegations, international guests, and visitors, and has recommended that traffic restriction plans be announced early to ease mobility during the events.

At the meeting, representatives of central agencies also discussed delegate allocation, the issuance of invitations and event passes, road closures, and coordination with the city’s organizing subcommittees to ensure absolute safety.

Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen, representing the Logistics Subcommittee, stressed that final rehearsals should match the official ceremony in scale and conditions to anticipate any potential issues.

Deputy Chairman Duong Duc Tuan, on behalf of the Security, Order, and Traffic Subcommittee, emphasized careful checks of grandstand areas A, B, and C to ensure order, security, and formality.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman Thanh urged subcommittee heads to strictly follow the organizational plan to meet deadlines.

He called for measures to ensure optimal conditions for the preliminary, final, and official events, reiterated the requirement to halt road and sidewalk works before August 15, and instructed subcommittees to create Zalo groups for real-time coordination. He also requested that guest lists, invitations, and seating plans for international, central, and local delegates be finalized by August 15, with flexible traffic arrangements to avoid congestion.

“Subcommittee heads are expected to implement the “four-on-the-spot” approach during the September 2 morning parade and march to prevent crowd congestion from hindering their duties,” Thanh urged.

The “four-on-the-spot” approach, meaning on-the-spot command, on-the-spot forces, on-the-spot means and supplies, and on-the-spot logistics, is an emergency readiness and response principle often used for large events, disaster prevention, and security operations.

During the September 2 National Day celebrations, this approach ensures smooth coordination and swift response, even when the city center is packed with people and restricted movement.