Italy, with its expertise in restoring ancient historical buildings and artefacts, such as the city of Genoa, is ready to assist Hanoi to restore and improve its Old Quarter.

Speaking at a seminar o­n improving the role and efficiency of the local officials who are responsible for managing Hanoi’s Old Quarter o­n September 15, Cesare Bieller, head of the Political and Cultural Section at the Italian Embassy in Hanoi, stressed that preserving the Old Quarter must be a shared responsibility that includes the whole community and needs to be carried out to improve living standards and economic efficiency.

According to leading architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem, former Director of Hanoi’s Department of Architectural Planning, the Old Quarter is extremely valuable to the local people, commerce, culture and the city’s architecture.

Therefore, any preservation must conform to the Government’s regulations and be developed and managed in cooperation with local officials and the public, he said.

Hanoi ’s old houses and buildings reflect the city’s different architectural styles during each period of its history so they need to be restored and preserved, he added.

According to the Management Board for Hanoi’s Old Quarter, which covers nearly 100ha and includes almost 1,000 old houses, it is now seriously run down due to the increasing number of residents living in the area.

At present, Hanoi is introducing measures to preserve and promote its cultural value, as well as attempting to reduce the population to minimise the negative impacts o­n the Old Quarter.