Nghe An Newspaper won two third prizes at the first national press award on natural disaster prevention and control.

Panorama of the award ceremony. Photo: Quang An

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Nguyen Xuan Cuong - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Hoang Vinh Bao - Deputy Minister of Information and Communications; Tran Quang Hoai - Director General of the General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control; Ms. Caitlin Wiesen - Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Vietnam; Ms. Elsbeth Akkerman - Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vietnam; Ms. Rana Flowers - Chief Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund and Chief Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Vietnam; and representatives of central and local ministries, departments, branches, and press agencies nationwide.

International delegates and leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development attended the ceremony. Photo: Quang An

National Press Award on Disaster Prevention and ControlThe first time in 2019 was organized by the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in coordination with the United Nations Development Program UNDP, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Journalists Association and a number of relevant agencies to recognize, commend and reward collectives and individuals who have made practical contributions to information and propaganda work on natural disaster prevention and control.

After more than 5 months of launching, from October 12, 2019 to March 31, 2020, the Organizing Committee received 896 works in 5 types of journalism: Print, electronic, television, radio and press photos. The award attracted 602 authors who are journalists, reporters, and collaborators from more than 120 press agencies fromCentralto local participation.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Cuong - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, commented that the natural disaster situation in Vietnam is becoming increasingly complicated. Photo: Quang An

The media plays a particularly important role in disaster prevention and response. Before, during and after a disaster, the press provides important information for leaders to make decisions and for people to respond promptly. I am very proud of the success of the first Press Award co-organized by UNDP, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Information and Communications. Working together, our joint efforts will contribute to a safer, more sustainable and more prosperous Vietnam, where no one is left behind.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen - UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen - Resident Representative of the UN Development Program in Vietnam spoke at the ceremony. Photo: Quang An

At the ceremony, the Organizing CommitteeJournalism Awardawarded the Logo, Certificate of the Organizing Committee and Certificate of Merit of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control with rewards to the authors of 2 first prize works, 7 second prize works, 10 third prize works and 1 press agency with the most entries in the first national press award on natural disaster prevention and control in 2019.

The organizers awarded the first prize winners. Photo: Quang An

The organizing committee awarded prizes to the authors and author groups that won third prize. Photo: Quang An

Nghe An Newspaper was honored to win 2 Third Prizes, including the work "The green wall at the foot of the waves" by the group of authors Chau Lan, Phu Huong, Lam Tung, Van Truong, Viet Hung and the work "Vinh market is deeply flooded, traders are immersed in the black water to evacuate goods." by author Quang An.

In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly decided to designate October 13 every year to promote a global culture of disaster reduction. ASEAN also designated this day as ASEAN Disaster Management Day to call on people and communities around the world to raise awareness and reduce risks caused by natural disasters.

At the ceremony, international and Vietnamese delegates presented papers, opinions and assessments on the natural disaster situation in the world in general and in Vietnam in particular. The messages were given to raise community responsibility in natural disaster prevention and control.