73 works by 59 domestic authors participated in composing songs about Truong Bon.

On the afternoon of September 9th, the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting to discuss and hear opinions on the results of the campaign to compose songs about Truong Bon.

Comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee for the Songwriting Contest about Truong Bon - presided over the meeting; also present were Comrade Ho Mau Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports; and the Deputy Heads and members of the Organizing Committee. Photo: Duc Anh

The songwriting contest about Truông Bồn was launched in October 2018. Immediately after the launch ceremony, the Department of Culture and Sports - the permanent agency of the Organizing Committee - sent invitations to the Associations of Literature and Arts of provinces and cities, cultural units, and the Vietnam Musicians Association. At the same time, they published the plan and regulations of the contest on the information portal and in press publications.

The Truông Bồn National Historical Site in Mỹ Sơn commune (Đô Lương district, Nghệ An province) will forever be a source of inspiration for artists and writers. (Photo: Thành Cường)

By July 30, 2019 - the deadline for receiving entries, the Organizing Committee received 73 entries from 59 authors nationwide. Of these, the highest number of participating authors was Nghe An (21), followed by Hanoi (7), Ho Chi Minh City (6); some provinces and cities had 1-2 authors submitting songs to the competition.

Comrade Tran Van Hung - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper, and a member of the Organizing Committee, suggested that the awards ceremony should be held on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Truong Bon Victory. Photo: Duc Anh

The Vietnam Musicians Association has nominated four musicians to participate in the judging panel. The preliminary judging will be held in Hanoi, with the panel evaluating in three rounds. Round 1 will select 30 works; Round 2 will select 16 works; and Round 3 will select 11 works to be considered for awards, including: 1 First Prize, 2 Second Prizes, 3 Third Prizes, and 5 Consolation Prizes.

At the meeting, members of the Organizing Committee contributed ideas on issues such as: establishing a judging panel; organizing the awards ceremony on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Truong Bon Victory; and determining the scale of the awards ceremony based on the quality of the winning entries.

Comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Organizing Committee - urged relevant departments and agencies to actively participate in implementing the plan for the songwriting campaign about Truong Bon successfully. Photo: Duc Anh

In his directive speech, Comrade Dinh Viet Hong – Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee – instructed the members to determine the scale and organizational plan for the closing ceremony and award presentation based on the evaluation and selection results. Relevant departments and agencies need to actively participate in implementing the plan for the songwriting campaign about Truong Bon to ensure its success.

The songwriting contest about Truông Bồn is expected to conclude and award prizes in October 2019.

Although the war is long over, the victory at Truong Bon remains a symbol of the courage, indomitability, and patriotism of the people of Nghe An province in particular, and the Vietnamese people in general, as well as the heroic sacrifice of the 1,240 officers and soldiers who participated in protecting this crucial Truong Bon route. In recognition of Truong Bon, on September 23, 2008, President Nguyen Minh Triet signed a decision awarding the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to the collective of 14 Truong Bon Youth Volunteers, belonging to the legendary "Steel Squad," Company 317, Team 65, General Youth Volunteer Brigade fighting against the US and for national salvation, Nghe An province.