An International Educator in Vietnam

For as long as cities have existed, people have needed spaces where communities can gather and individuals can meet, find diversions, and conduct business.  In various times and places, public markets, city parks, wide sidewalks, village and city squares, malls around national monuments, and other organized and unorganized public spaces have filled these roles.  In recent years, however, even the idea of public space has come under threat from a variety of private and state interests.    

This film is the story of one such place, Thong Nhat (Reunification) Park, the largest park in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

From Dancing in the Park – The Website. 

This is a park I have visited and enjoyed on many occasions – one of the recreational gems of Hanoi.  In fact, I included it in some video I took for a segment entitled Vietnam Today that I contributed to IN FOCUS: Vietnam, a project developed six or seven years ago by the Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Union College Partnership for Global Education (PGE) in support of its study abroad program in Hanoi. 

Chalk one up for the public good over private gain (i.e., greed)!