Arts and culture press accompanies the movement to build new rural areas.

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of July 19th, the Nghe An Union of Literature and Arts Associations, in coordination with literary magazines from the North Central region, organized a seminar titled "Literary Journalism in the North Central Region and the New Rural Development Movement".

Attending the workshop were Mr. Do Kim Cuong – Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Associations of Literature and Arts, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuoc - President of the Nghe An Union of Literature and Arts, along with representatives from departments and agencies in the province and the editorial board of the Literature and Arts Magazine of 6 provinces in the North Central region.

The workshop attracted many artists and writers from six provinces in the North Central region. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Since 2010, surveys of 435 communes across the country showed that none had met more than 13 criteria for new rural development. However, by early 2017, 2,656 communes nationwide had completed all 19 criteria for new rural development, reaching nearly 30%. The practical participation of the arts and journalism sector played a significant role in this achievement.

To affirm the role and contribution of the literary and artistic press of North Central Vietnam to the new rural development movement, the Party and State, together with literary and artistic associations from the central to local levels, have repeatedly launched creative writing campaigns on the theme of new rural development over the years. From these campaigns, many outstanding works on this topic have been produced.

Mr. Do Kim Cuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Associations of Literature and Arts, speaks at the workshop. Photo: Thanh Quynh

In Nghe An, many authors such as Thach Quy, Nguyen The Quang, Nguyen Thi Phuoc, Le Ho Quang, etc., have won numerous awards from various associations and the Vietnam Writers Association.

Notably, in 2011, at the 1980-2010 literary awards organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the Vietnam Writers Association, author Nguyen Thi Phuoc was one of only two representatives from the North Central region to win a trophy. In 2014, in the awards for agricultural and rural themes, Nghe An province had writer Phan The Phiệt win a B prize with his short story "The Tiger's Age," and writer Nguyen Ngoc Loi won a B prize for his short story "The Debt-ridden Man" on the theme of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.

Furthermore, many annual journalism awards, from central to local levels, in campaigns to create and promote works on the theme of studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh, have gone to articles on agriculture and rural areas.

Members of the Nghe An Association of Literature and Arts working in Con Cuong. Photo: Sach Nguyen

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Do Kim Cuong highly appreciated the achievements of the arts and literature press in the North Central region in general and Nghe An in particular. Artists and writers have considered the theme of building new rural areas as both a professional responsibility and a political task, producing many meaningful works that have affirmed the achievements of the new rural development program in their localities.

Representatives of arts and culture associations from provinces in the North Central region receive commemorative flags. Photo: Sach Nguyen

However, the number of works in this field is still too small compared to the vibrant reality that is unfolding. Many works lack depth, relevance, and fail to reflect the thoughts and aspirations of workers as well as the problems arising in their lives. In the future, artists and writers need to immerse themselves in the lives of farmers and rural areas to produce insightful and truthful writings that contribute to promoting the new rural development program.

Thanh Quynh